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This Week's Forum South and West

2011-03-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

Vandals Strike Again at Bayside Cemetery; Restoration Efforts Continue

2011-03-10T10:53:00.001-05:00

Photo courtesy Bayside Cemetery Litigation

By Patricia Adams

Three teens were arrested last week in connection with the latest act of desecration at Bayside Cemetery in Ozone Park. Andre Chowtie, 16, Michael Chaitram, 17, and Nicholas Kalloo, 19, were arrested after Police Officer David Marconi of the 106th Precinct observed them inside the fenced-in property after hours.

Marconi alerted the precinct of the activity inside the cemetery, leading to the arrests. Community Affairs Officer Kenneth Zorn said, “The perpetrators were arrested before they caused substantial damage to the property.” According to Zorn, the vandals told police they broke in because they “wanted to hang out in a scary place.”

The incident is one of many in a long history of vandalism at the cemetery. In 1993, the cemetery was vandalized twice within ten days. Vandals used black felt-tip pens to deface mausoleums, and another break-in resulted in damage to 50 headstones. In an incident in 2003, which was highly publicized, vandals broke in and desecrated 32 mausoleums. Crypts were destroyed, remains were removed from caskets and strewn on the ground and anti-Semitic graffiti was sprayed on gravestones and throughout the cemetery.

The cemetery is operated by the Congregation Shaare Zedek on Manhattan’s upper West Side, which acquired the land on Pitkin Avenue in 1842. The congregation has fallen under criticism for failing to maintain and provide perpetual care for the 35,000 Jews buried there. John Lucker, whose grandparents are buried at the cemetery, is currently suing Congregation Shaare Zedek for failing to maintain the property—Lucker’s grandparents had paid for perpetual care packages.

Efforts to clean up and restore the cemetery have been aided most recently by the Community Association for Jewish At-Risk Cemeteries (CAJAC), an organization funded by the UJA-Federation of New York. “CAJAC’s goals are to serve as a watchdog for Jewish cemeteries in the New York metropolitan area,” said Andy Schultz, the group’s executive director. More than 250 volunteers have participated in the CAJAC’s cleanups so far this year—and more than half of those volunteering are between 15 and 18 years old.

Avrim Cohen, who lives in Elizabeth, New Jersey, was on his way last week to visit relatives buried at the cemetery. “It’s always worrisome for me to come here,” Cohen told The Forum. “You never know what you will find.” He remembers the many desecrations he has seen over the years. “I must say that things have gotten better since people are helping to clean it up. I just hope it continues.”

Budget Fight Jeopardizes Senior Center

2011-03-10T10:46:00.002-05:00

Abe Rosen, an octogenarian with cloudy eyes and a stiff smile, has lived in Howard Beach for the past 50 years. Rosen said he has been through hard times, but for the last 10 years he’s found support at the Howard Beach Senior Center, where he eats nearly everyday.

Rosen joined nearly 200 seniors gathered at the center, at 156-45 84th Street, on Wednesday to rally with civic leaders and elected officials against a state budget proposal that would force 105 senior centers throughout the city to close. Additional rallies, including one in Woodhaven, will be held throughout this week and the next.

“It would be criminal to close one center,” Rosen said. “Not one senior should suffer.”
The Howard Beach Senior Center an- nounced the rally on Monday, giving seniors only two days notice, but Assistant Director Judy Ascherman—who crosses the line into seniority in a few months—wasn’t surprised by the nearly packed room. “We’re a viable center, we have a lot of people who are really active,” she said.

The center opened in 1976, a few years after the federal government established the Older Americans Act, which was meant to improve the lives of elderly citizens. “It’s not just a recreational thing, these were originally opened as a nutrition center because seniors weren’t eating healthy, and the same thing is happening now,” Ascherman said.

Director Ike Albala told the crowd that he remembered a time before the centers when senior weren’t getting the support they needed. “Seniors weren’t getting enough to eat and they would settle for whatever they could get,” he said. “Some would go so far as to settle for pet food.”

According to Community Board 10 Chairperson Elizabeth Braton, Community Board 10 has almost 23,000 people over the age of 60*. In Howard Beach alone, there are over 9,000 seniors, making it the “oldest” neighborhood in the borough, according to Monsignor Alfred LoPinto. After the closures, CB 10 will have one senior center in its jurisdiction. More than 40 percent of the city’s senior centers face closure, which will leave more than 8,000 seniors without these services.

“It’s not just mindboggling, it’s unconscionable,” she said.

This Friday, in Woodhaven, another rally will be taking place. The center, run by Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services, has been closed for months of renovations. The rally was originally scheduled as a celebratory re-opening of the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Senior Center, at 78-15 Jamaica Avenue. Its grand reopening may now be short-lived. It’s on the Mayor’s list of centers that will be closed if funding is cut.

The Woodhaven Residents' Block Associa- tion has called on residents to gather at the
center this Friday at noon to show support for the area's seniors.

"The senior center is a home away from home for so many people," said WRBA Di- rector Roger Hennin, who is also a member of the senior center. "These cuts are terrible. When this center closes, it will really hurt a lot of people's quality of life."

The list of centers facing closure was released by Mayor Michael Bloomberg after Governor Anthony Cuomo proposed budget shifted a source of discretionary funding, called Title XX, that has been used to support senior centers for more than 20 years. His proposal, to siphon the funds toward other, federally mandated spending, is not new.

Governor David Paterson made the same proposal last year. Paterson proposed using
the Title XX funds to pay for senior services, rather than senior centers—which would have been forced to close. His efforts were unsuccessful.

The Title XX grant is roughly $102 million of Federal funding to the State. Adult protective serves receive $66 million of that, while $36 million is allotted locally, usually for discretionary spending. Under the new budget, that $36 million will be spent on child welfare services, which is federally man- dated but usually paid for with other funds.

The mandatory child welfare spending is normally split between the city and state, with Albany paying 62 percent, and the city covering 38 percent.

The $25 million in Title XX funds that NYC receives will now be spent on child welfare programs, but will be included in the State's 62 percent share of child welfare spending.

“The Governor's Title XX proposal achieves state savings while supporting a federal mandate to protect abused children and serve families in crisis,” State Department of Budget Spokesperson Jeffery Gordon said. “The City will continue to receive the same amount of Federal Title XX funding in total.”

While the $25 million will be spent in the city, it will essentially be taken from Bloomberg’s pocket to cut Cuomo’s spending.

Either Bloomberg will have to come up with an additional 25 million to save the senior centers, or Cuomo will have to find money to fund child welfare services. For now, Bloomberg has released a list of senior centers that will be closed. Some see this as a strong-arm tactic to increase the Mayor’s bargaining power.

“[The Mayor] is using the seniors while we are in the middle of negotiations,” said Jo Ann Shapiro, Chief of Staff for Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer (D-Ozone Park).

Shapiro had arrived to the rally in Howard Beach to find two seniors who couldn’t find the door, she said. They told her they were there to join the center for the first time.

“This is not about closing senior centers that aren’t working,” she told the crowd. “This is a vibrant, thriving, growing center. The money will be restored.”

According to spokesperson Nick Roloson, Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) favors passing legislation that circumvents the shift in funds by making the senior center funding mandatory in Title XX funding, rather than discretionary.

“When money is cut from these programs, these services are put in serious jeopardy and are at risk.” Miller said. “Enough is enough. I am fully committed to ensuring that the discretionary Title XX money is used to care for our seniors as it has for so many years.”

Senator Joseph Addabbo has proposed methods for the city to increase its revenue, freeing up new funds for the senior centers.

Addabbo has proposed collecting outstanding debts and fines by waving late fees and penalties or utilizing city workers more efficiently, instead of “contracting.” He suggested that if the City used its sheriffs more than the outside marshals, it would save significant amounts of money.
“There is enough money to keep senior centers open in the city,” he said. “Our senior centers do not have to close, regard- less of the amount of money the city receives from the state budget.”
Nevertheless, Addabbo said he is committed to ensure Title XX funds are used for senior centers. “Why mess with tradition,” he said. After the rally, he rushed off to Albany, where his colleagues were preparing to debate the budget.

Senator Shirley Huntley (D-Jamacia), on her way into a budget hearing in Albany, said that she doesn’t believe the Gov- ernor would allow the senior centers to close. “I just don’t think he’ll let that happen,” she said. “We’re trying really hard to save the senior centers and day care and all the things that matter.”

As the rally ended in Howard Beach, the center welcomed the crowd, the politicians and the press to stay for lunch. Small groups of seniors helped each other fill out petitions as Abe Rosen sauntered back and forth among the crowd, making small talk with other members.

What You Can Do

Aside from writing or calling your local representative, Councilmember Eric Ulrich suggests dialing 311. “The Mayor loves 311,” he said. “So call. Say ‘I have a message for the Mayor. Stop using seniors as pawns and don’t close my senior center.’” If you don’t have email, Carol of the Howard Beach Senior Center will assist you in sending emails to your representatives on Thursday morning. Stop by the center to participate.

Update: We incorrectly said 23,000 people over the age of 60 live in Queens. There are 23,000 people over the age of 60 within Community Board 10 while approximately 400,000 seniors reside in Queens. Also, it was Monsignor Alfred LoPinto who claimed Howard Beach is the oldest neighborhood in the borough.

Pia Feva Continues

2011-03-10T10:45:00.001-05:00

Proposed School, Rezoning at Board 9 Meeting

2011-03-10T10:43:00.001-05:00

By David Harvey

Many of the area’s elected officials were conspicuously absent from Tuesday’s Community Board 9 meeting on Tuesday, but it was politely excused—nearly all were in Albany pushing back against the Governor’s budget proposal that would force the closure of senior centers throughout the city.

Though he said he understood, the absence made it difficult for CB 9 Chairman Ivan Mrakovic to gauge politicians’ sentiments on U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner’s proposal—announced during a press conference on March 4—to sell the iconic Civic Virtue statue now standing outside Queens Borough Hall.

“Few things are more important than senior centers and building schools,” Mrakovic said. “But this is an irksome issue.” Each elected officials’ representative promised to bring a statement on Weiner’s proposal to next month’s meeting.

Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer’s representative announced the delay of the renovated Aqueduct Race Track’s casino opening, from spring to summer, and Nick Roloson said his boss, Assemblyman Mike Miller, is working with the attorney general to combat the recent string of deception robberies involving a fraudulent gas company.

NYPD officer John McCoy from the 102nd Precinct said several graffiti vandals have been arrested over the last month—including one who was over the age of 40 and driving a Jaguar. Board members asked McCoy about regulations for the motorized bicycles that have become popular among deliverymen and he plans to have firm answers next month.

Director of the Queens Office of City Planning John Young gave a presentation on the proposed rezoning of several blocks in Woodhaven and Richmond Hill, which consists of “surgical” changes to match the code with current development. “We want to make the zoning simple,” he said. City planners will present their proposal to the board again after conducting an environmental assessment.

School Construction Authority officials gave a presentation on a new school they plan to open at the site of a former parochial school at the corner of 101st Avenue and 90th Street in Ozone Park. Father Paul, who is connected to the former school built in 1923, said important relics would be collected and enshrined at the nearby church. “We can’t maintain the school,” he said, adding that it was great to see another educational facility take its place.

According to SCA representative Chris Persheff, the Department of Education does not yet own the property—the department needs City Council approval for the purchase—but that the school will be K-5 with roughly 400 students, and the site will include a sizable school yard. Details as to the type of school and whether it is locally zoned will be decided later.

While voting on support for liquor license renewals—the State Liquor Authority makes the final decision—the board voted against renewing a license for The Link, a bar at 110-12 Jamaica Avenue in Richmond Hill, which has a reputation among residents for hosting unruly patrons and “has not been a good neighbor.”

Nick Comaianni, President of Community Education Council for District 24, brought a letter opposing the DOE’s plan to take the “rainy day funds” from principals who spent less than they were budgeted. The DOE had originally proposed taking 50 percent of the funds back from individual schools, but has since proposed taking back only 30 percent. “We are unequivocally opposed to roll-over budget cuts,” he said.

Comaianni said he would bring a similar statement to the board addressing teacher layoffs next month.

The board also had it’s annual vote for executive postitions, and chairman Mrakovic said he would not run again, as he was joining the Richmond Hills Historic Society. Andrea Crawford was named the new chair. Her nomination went uncontested.

Near the close of the meeting Mrakovic mocked Weiner’s press conference, in which Weiner suggested selling the Civic Virtue statue on craigslist.com. “Isn’t that an adult service site?” he joked. “I don’t think any of our politicians should be talking about selling city property online.”

Parents, Crowley Trash DOE Plan to Take Money From Schools

2011-03-10T10:37:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

As budget cuts continue to endanger schools, the city Department of Education (DOE) has found a way to make some extra cash—take it from individual schools’ reserve accounts.

Since 2007, principals have been allowed to save money and roll it into the following year’s budget. The DOE now wants to take 50 percent of those funds away under the “Deferred Program Planning Initiative” (DPPI).

“The funds would help offset system wide cuts,” Barbara Morgan, DOE spokesperson, said. But the possibility of schools losing more money outraged some parents.

“The principal is smart and saved for a rainy day, and now they are being punished,” Matthew Tymus, a parent of two children at P.S. 128 in Middle Village, said.

Tymus grew up in Middle Village, and said he stayed in the neighborhood because of the quality of P.S. 128 and its teachers. He’s worried that good teachers will have to be fired and the school will suffer.

Echoing Tymus’s concerns were Council Members Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), who held a press conference outside P.S. 128 with more than 40 parents last Thursday.

Crowley said she was outraged over the proposal. “It’s bad education policy, it’s bad management policy, and it’s bad budget policy,” she said.

Critics of the program said fiscally responsible principals are being punished. Smart principals saved money because they understood hard budget cuts would be needed, Dromm said.

“We’ve known for two years this fiscal crisis was coming. Why is [Schools Chancellor Cathie Black] punishing the people who did the right thing?” Dromm said.

Another point of contention was the manner in which the plan was presented to principals. The DPPI was mentioned to principals in Chancellor Cathie Black’s weekly e-mail to principals on February 16—with a March 4 deadline.

“Why was this slid under the radar, prior to our spring break, when nobody could react to this?” said Caroline Lee, a parent and PTA member.

At the press conference, Crowley announced the deadline has been pushed back to March 18 and promised to continue fighting until the program is abandoned.

A school like P.S. 128—currently expanding to eighth grade—would be especially harmed by DPPI. Taking away any money from the school would cripple P.S. 128 during the expansion, parents said. On top of that, P.S. 128 does not receive any federal Title I money, so its budget is tighter than most schools. Crowley said this forced P.S. 128 and similar schools throughout the city to save, and that the money should stay in the schools.

“The DPPI has allowed our schools to be fiscally responsible and ensures that money meant for our local schools, stays in our local schools. For the DOE to tap into schools’ budget funds and blame budget deficits is disingenuous,” Crowley said.

Under DPPI, principals are faced with spending all their reserves—even if it isn’t needed—or surrender half of their money to the DOE.

One principal told GothamSchools, an independent non-profit news organization covering city schools, that with a mid-April deadline to make most purchases, the DOE is inviting a shopping spree. “The likely result is that approximately $80 to 100 million that could have been used by schools to preserve teaching positions, extracurricular activities, and supplementary academic programs next year will instead be spent on laptop carts and copy paper,” the principal said.

The backlash prompted the DOE on Monday to revise its plans to take only 30 percent of school funds rather than 50 percent. In a statement, Black said, “I heard thoughtful feedback from principals across the five boroughs about how we can help them continue making prudent, long-term budget decisions, and we’ve crafted a solution to let them do that.”

However, Crowley was not impressed. “This is not a compromise; this is about doing what is right for our schools and what is right for our students. To take back funding that is already given is nothing more than robbery,” Crowley said.

Community Gives Proposed MTA Depot Site Emphatic No

2011-03-10T10:33:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Residents of Maspeth, led by Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), gathered at the corner of 49th Street and Galasso Place in west Maspeth on Friday afternoon to tell the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the city to stay away.

Two weeks ago The Forum reported the MTA was looking at the Maspeth site to relocate its Access-a-Ride facility from Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Last week, Van Bramer told The Forum he would battle the plan.

On March 1, Van Bramer and a coalition of local elected officials sent a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and at the press conference, Van Bramer said his actions “shook up the Mayor’s office.”

“I am outraged. Absolutely outraged and livid that the city of New York would attempt to sneak a depot into Maspeth,” Van Bramer said.

Maspeth residents have been fighting to get commercial traffic off the streets— complaints that were emphasized as truck traffic barreling down 49th Street frequently drowned out speakers at the press conference.

“We’ve all worked together to alleviate the amount of trucks that are currently in Maspeth,” said Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village). “Enough is enough. Maspeth is not a doormat.”

The MTA already operates two depots in Maspeth—a bus depot and maintenance facility on Grand Avenue and an Access-a-Ride depot on Maurice Avenue. Concerned residents said they don’t need more MTA vehicles in their community.

“This is not a NIMBY issue,” said Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth). “We already have two depots in our community. We’ve had our fair share.”

Gary Giordano, chair of Community Board 5, noted the Grand Avenue facility is within walking distance of the proposed site. Calling it an “unwise” decision, Giordano said Maspeth already feels too much pressure from commercial traffic.

Residents and Van Bramer stressed they understood Greenpoint residents’ fight for a park. “But I wish the city of New York and the Parks Department paid as much attention to adding green space in Queens,” Van Bramer said.

The fight against the new depot comes as local officials and community groups have been pushing for the city to purchase the former St. Saviour’s church site at 57th Road and 58th Street.
“We’re trying to get a park, but the city doesn’t have money for that. Yet in the meantime, they can find money to mitigate this site,” said Roe Daraio, president of Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together (COMET).

Van Bramer said the proposed depot site is polluted and would cost millions to be remediated.
City officials said they are working with the MTA to relocate the Greenpoint depot, and the Maspeth site is being explored. But nothing is final, officials said.

Van Bramer said the Mayor’s office told him, “Don’t worry, this is like the bottom of the first inning in the process.”

“But there are some ideas and some proposals that are so bad they shouldn’t even take the mound,” Van Bramer responded. “This should have never reached the bottom of the first.”

Forest Hills Resident Receives Highest Civil Service Award

2011-03-10T10:31:00.001-05:00

Forest Hills resident Susan Dalmas received the Sloan Public Service Award for her 25 years of service as the Director of Queens Library Adult Literacy Programs.
The award, given by the Fund for the City of New York is one of the highest honors for public service employees.

“The Sloan Public Service Award winners are representative of the thousands of truly remarkable men and women who make up the backbone of our city,” said Mary McCormick, president of the Fund for the City of New York.

As the head of the Adult Literacy Program at Queens Library, Dalmas oversees the largest library-based literacy program in the nation, which served more than 6,000 participants a year.
“Susan has worked tirelessly to develop new and innovative programs for adult learners that are recognized and imitated by libraries throughout the US,” Diana Chapin, executive director of the Queens Library Foundation, said.

Dalmas began as a teacher in the Philippines and then the U.S. She joined Queens Library in 1989.

Two other Queens residents also received the award. Emmanuel Thingue of East Elmhurst was honored for his work as the senior designer for Parks and Recreation. Gabriel Taussig of Queens Village was honored for his work as the chief of the Administrative Law Division for New York City.

Winners receive a cash price of $7,500. A ceremony to honor the winners was held on Thursday.

Maspeth HS Will Open At Queens Metro Campus

2011-03-10T10:30:00.001-05:00

By David Harvey

As predicted by concerned parents at a public meeting last month: The co-location of the first class of the new Maspeth High School at the Queens Metropolitan Campus in Forest Hills is a done deal.

The Department of Education (DOE) proposal to incubate a Maspeth High School within the campus next year was approved last week by the NYC Panel For Education Policy (PEP) in a unanimous vote.

The Queens Metropolitan Campus houses the Queens Metropolitan High School and the Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School, which will serve grades six through eight next year, before eventually expanding to grade 12.

The new school will have approximately 175 to 225 ninth graders next year, and the Queens Metropolitan Campus—with the Maspeth students—will be operating at only 72 percent capacity, according to the DOE. The Maspeth high school’s own building—being built at 54-40 74th Street—is scheduled to open in 2012.

The PEP vote took place as scheduled on March 1 and was preceded by several community meetings conducted by the DOE to garner public opinion—discussions that were often very contentious.
At a meeting on February 9 at the Queens Metropolitan Campus in Forest Hills, parents, community groups and City Council representatives largely expressed contempt for the proposal during a public comment period that stretched over two hours.

“Discussion has subsided since the vote,” said Queens PEP representative Dmytro Fedkowskyj. “A recent open house by the proposed Maspeth school leader was highly attended by many parents from within District 24 and parents are excited about the new high school option.”

Several concerns were raised throughout the public comment period, from possible bullying to structural problems with the current building such as missing cameras and doorknobs. The most contentious was whether the Maspeth High School students would have a building to move into after next year.

“I am extremely disappointed and dismayed that the concerns of the community and elected officials have been shut out by the Department of Education,” Councilwoman Karen Kozlowitz (D-Forest Hills) said. “The process of planning for the incubation into the Metropolitan Avenue Campus was never designed to be responsive to the community.”

After the meeting on February 9, Kozlowitz wrote a letter to Schools Chancellor Cathie Black—cosigned by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, and Assembley members Andrew Hevesi and Mike Miller—that asked for a written statement from the DOE that the Maspeth high school students would be co-located for only one year.

Black’s response reiterated that the Department is committed to moving Maspeth High School to its long-term location by September 2012. “Based on all the information available to us, we have no reason to believe these plans will be derailed or delayed in any way,” she said.

According to DOE spokesperson Jack Zarin-Rosenfeld, the school is on track to open as scheduled.
“At the end of the day, the big issue is the worry that [the Maspeth high school students] won’t move out,” he said. “The fact is, we have a close to perfect, if not perfect, track record on getting new schools open on time.”

Meanwhile, the Mayor’s budget proposal and recommended teacher layoffs will affect 35 percent of the teachers at the Queens Metropolitan Campus. Zarin-Rosenfeld said that with the budgets under revision, there is no way to determine how many teachers the new school will have, and how many will remain at the campus.

This Week's Forum South and West

2011-03-03T10:51:00.001-05:00

Fever Pitched: Idol Fever Hits Howard Beach

2011-03-03T10:48:00.001-05:00

It’s spreading fast. We call it “Pia Fever,” and it’s beginning to take on a life of its own in Howard Beach and the surrounding communities. We’re betting that by the time you’re reading this, Pia Toscano will have been chosen as one of American Idol’s Top 12 contestants.

The Forum dropped by Pia’s former grammar school, P.S. 207 in Rockwood Park, Tuesday morning to check out the giant bulletin board the students created in her honor. Parent-teacher coordinator Nina DeBlasio recalled how a very shy Pia would have to be coaxed to take the stage. “She was so quiet and so very beautiful,” DeBlasio says. “And when she finally opened her mouth to sing you knew that someday everyone would get to hear her.”

And support for Pia is not just coming from those who knew her as a child in school. It comes from leaders in nationwide and local charities, local schools and organizations, local merchants, friends and family.

Angelo Gurino came to know Pia through the Howard Beach Columbus Day Foundation, while serving as the group’s treasurer.. “Pia never says no. She has given so much time to our community. She’s an amazing, talented young woman and she deserves our full support to win this thing.”

Local restaurant owner Joey DeCandia of Lenny’s Clam Bar has really taken the bull by the horns. DeCandia has printed signs to hang in several of his establishments on Cross Bay Boulevard encouraging the community to get behind Pia and vote. To that end, DeCandia and Forum Publisher Pat Adams got together and took the extra step. “Listen, when Howard Beach loves you, we name a food after you,” said a laughing DeCandia. “And this is quite a love affair.” After a coast to coast conversation between Pat Adams and Jane and Pat Toscano about Pia’s favorite foods, the menu was created.

As of next week, Lenny’s Clam Bar will be introducing Penne Alla Pia, a combination of Pia’s favorites: penne pasta in a traditional vodka sauce with grilled chicken and peas. And that’s just the beginning. Howard Beach resident Nick Agola, who owns Sophia Pizza in Ozone Park, wants to spread Pia Fever outside of Howard Beach. His pizzeria will feature the Pia Pie, a thin-crust pizza topped with mushrooms, black olives, spinach, broccoli and grilled chicken. Deli lovers should visit Ragtime Gourmet and Tuscany Deli to support Pia, as owner Angelo Gurino is serving up his own creation—the Pia Panini, stacked high with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, broccoli and roasted peppers. Ragtime will also be featuring a custom designed cupcake by Paddy Kakes of Howard Beach. The “Sweet Pia” cupcake was created with input from its namesake, who requested red velvet cake with pink cream cheese frosting. The confection will be topped with a handmade marzipan peapod in honor of Pia’s fan base, the “Sweet P’s”.

Starting this week, The Forum will be hosting “Vote Nights” for the duration of Pia’s Idol run. Friends and family will get together at the Forum office for concentrated phone and Facebook voting. And yes, you guessed it; the entire Pia menu will be served. Stay tuned for details on future events including upcoming “Pia Pep” rallies.

Abandoning The Lot

2011-03-03T10:47:00.002-05:00

By David Harvey

*This article has been updated, see corrections below.

The Department of Buildings website shows that for the past 15 years, an abandoned house at 85-53 98th Street in Woodhaven has received complaints ranging from structural damage to the presence of squatters. On February 20, at 11 p.m., a fire on the property spread to a neighboring residence. While no one was injured in the fire, the damage to both homes was significant.

According to Ed Wendell of the Woodhaven Residents Block Association (WRBA), the fire illuminated a citywide failure to address abandoned and neglected homes that could act as kindling to tragedy.

“Everybody failed,” he said. “But you can’t point your finger at one place.”

Wendell said that when he visited the house last week, he met a neighbor who had frequently complained that the house was dangerous—he had even called the WRBA.

“For years he worried about the house only to have his nightmare finally come true,” Wendell said.

Meanwhile, the WRBA has been working to drive attention toward other houses in the neighborhood that pose similar risks. A neglected, graffiti-speckled house at 88-32 80th Street has been the focus of 11 complaints to DOB since April 2000. Those concerned about trespassing children and homeless are nearly identical to complaints about the home on 98th Street. Just as with the house on 98th street, all but the most recent are marked “resolved.” Both often show that inspectors found no violation or failed to gain access.

“I have this fear with this house on 80th Street that there will be people who go down, get their picture taken and say ‘this is unacceptable’ but nothing will get done,” Wendell said.
According to the DOB’s annual report released earlier this year, there were 337 inspectors that conducted 335,449 inspections. On average, they would have conducted just fewer than four inspections each per workday—not excluding holidays. The 21 complaints at both properties in Woodhaven were reviewed by 18 different inspectors.

While the owners of the abandoned home on 80th street have been issued two violations from the 11 complaints, both were resolved. The home on 98th Street that caught fire on February 20 has five active violations, stretching from 1997 to 2000. All of those violations are marked as having no recorded compliance.

Gilbert pointed out that no complaints were made to the DOB about the property between 2004 and 2010. Last year’s sole complaint, in March, was found to have been resolved on a follow-up survey in June, she said.

In 2010, the DOB implemented a streamlined process for property owners that wish to resolve violations. By admitting to the violation they can pay the minimum fine up front. According to the DOB’s report, this process generated $100,000 for the city from more than 100 fines in 2010.
Last year, the DOB also expanded its living safely campaign against illegally converted apartments. The campaign was initiated in 2009 after a deadly fire in Woodside. On February 23, following a fatal Brooklyn fire, the DOB distributed flyers in Brooklyn. The Department has distributed more than 100,000 flyers about illegal conversions throughout the five boroughs since the program was launched.

Reports from the fire department show that there were 4,785 structural fires last year, and 389 in January of this year.

The most recent complaint regarding the house on 98th Street that caught fire was posted on the DOB website the day after the fire. Gilbert said an inspector visited the property on March 2.
“The department sent an inspector to the property and found repairs are underway and will continue to monitor the property,” she said.

The owner of the property—a Brooklyn firefighter with Engine 207—could not be reached for comment.

*An earlier version quoted Jen Gilbert as having said that all violations at 85-93 98th Street were resolved or that work had been completed. In fact, there was a miscommunication: violations marked as active are not resolved, and it is unclear whether required work was completed. There are five active violations, not four.

The DOB did not pass out 100,000 flyers on Feb. 23; they have distributed 100,000 flyers since implementing the “Living Safely” campaign in 2009.

The follow-up to a March 2010 complaint, in June 2010, was “survey” not an “inspection” as previously stated in the article, according to DOB spokesperson Jen Gilbert.

Crashing in Queens

2011-03-03T10:45:00.001-05:00

By David Harvey

With their proximity and easy access to John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia Airport, Ozone Park and Kew Gardens have become home to several crash pads—apartments where commuting pilots and aviation personnel rest between flights. With the federal government debating the FAA Reauthorization Bill and the second anniversary of a Buffalo plane crash, these crash pads have garnered some heated attention.

While the Federal Administration of Aviation Reauthorization Bill was under debate in the Senate at the beginning or February, ABC News ran series of reports on pilot fatigue. The reports included footage of pilots sleeping in a JFK lounge, of an apartment filled with bunks and of one pilot who said he has fallen asleep in the cockpit.

The ABC reports aired on the days before and after the second anniversary of the crash of Flight 3407 in Buffalo, which killed all 49 people onboard and one person on the ground when it crashed on February 12, 2009.

Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot in another famous New York crash told ABC that he would have never been able to safely—and famously—land on the Hudson River if he had been under-rested.

The ABC report linked the necessity of crash pads to low wages and long hours for pilots stationed at airports far from their homes, but not everyone thinks crash pads are dangerous, or contribute to fatigue.

Flight attendant Denise Grant has slept in crash pads near JFK for the last 16 years and managed one in Kew Gardens for the past three. She said “hot beds”—shared bunks—are a way of life for many in the airline industry, and that most attendants and pilots have lived in bad crash pads—loud, crowded and dirty apartments.

The home Grant runs is clean and quiet and everyone has his or her own bed, she said. “When the owner decided they didn’t want to maintain the house anymore I knew that I didn’t want to give it up, so I offered to run it,” she said.

She said that crash pads—even those with up to 12 tenants—are important for pilots and flight attendants who commute—living in one state and stationed in another.

“We’re here maybe six or seven days a month, sometimes the house is almost empty,” Grant said. “If we had to pay for a hotel—you can’t get a hotel near the airport for less than $250 a night in New York, and even then they’re probably all full.”

Her apartment is listed on a website hosting crash pads listings: It’s a three bedroom with six or more roommates; there is cable, Internet and a full kitchen. According to the listing, all a flight crewmember would need is twin sheets and a towel. The monthly rent is $240.

When asked about the possibility of new regulations restricting the use of crash pads near JFK, Grant hesitated before saying, “I’m not sure I understand; why would anyone want to do that?”
The legislation passed by Congress this month calls on the FAA to issue new regulations dealing with pilot fatigue. While the bill calls on measures that limit flight and duty time, the recent ABC News reports reflect similar stories in the past, which have led city officials to shut down crash pads.

In 2007, a Chicago Tribune reporter followed an anonymous tip from a resident and broke the story of several crash pads near Midway Airport. In response, city officials inspected more than 40 apartments, and issued 31 fines—some as high as $1,000 a day. The online response from pilots and flight attendants was indignant, rather than relieved.

According to a New York City Building Department spokesperson, any residential building must have 80-square feet of space per person and is allowed to house three non-related residents and an owner.

City Housing, Preservation and Development (HPD) spokesperson Eric Bederman said he was not aware of any complaints about crash pads, but added that the complaint would likely have to come from a tenant to reach the HPD.

According to a report released on February 23 by the International Air Transport Association, 2010 was the safest year on record for aviation. The rate of airline accidents is at an all time low.

Meanwhile, data released by the FAA showed an 81 percent increase in air-traffic control errors reported in 2010 than in 2007—up to 1,887, from 1,040. The data included an increase in errors most likely to cause an accident, though only 43 of those incidents were reported.

According to the FAA, which has been creating a more efficient error-reporting system over the last three years, the high rates don’t mean more errors, but rather better accountability. The high percentage of reported errors reflects a higher degree of safety awareness, said an FAA spokesperson.

The reauthorization bill passed 87-8 in the Senate, and is awaiting a full vote in the House of Representatives. The Senate bill would provide $34.5 billion to the FAA over the next two years, including funding for a new air-traffic control tower at LaGuardia Airport.

The Senate and the FAA had disagreed on provisions of the FAA Reauthorization Bill that called for drastically extending the hours pilots are required to fly on training flights. A lack of training was blamed for the crash of Flight 3407. The bill also hopes to tackle work hours, increasing the minimum hours of required rest between flights from eight to nine hours. But the attention on crash pads has been called counterproductive.

“Bringing [crash pads] to the attention of the flying public will not make the airlines pay higher salaries,” said one pilot who asked to remain anonymous. “Crash pads are a result of many pilots’ choice to commute. I'm really not concerned as much about people bunking two deep, my concern is people coming to work unfit to fly, and then blaming airlines for ‘making’ them commute because of low pay. Fact is, many would commute regardless of pay.”

While the FAA Reauthorization Bill covered safety improvements, accountability and consumer rights, there were also several quality-of-life additions.

United States Senator Charles Schumer’s amendment to the bill called on new regulations to measure helicopter noise in New York State, particularly over residential areas where, presumably, people might be trying to rest.

Labor Battle Continues As Mayor Releases Teacher Layoffs List

2011-03-03T10:44:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

The city released its doomsday scenario to balance the city school’s budget on Sunday: layoffs for more than 4,000 teachers.

After Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed budget, released last month, cut state aid to city schools by $1.4 billion, Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned extensive cuts would have to be made—especially if the teachers’ unions “last in, first out” (LIFO) policy is in place.

Under current labor agreements, teachers are laid off based on seniority. The practice is being attacked, however, by legislators who claim that layoffs should be based on a teacher’s merits.
State Senator John Flanagan (R-Suffolk) has introduced a bill that would repeal LIFO for city schools. Under the legislation, nine categories, including receiving unsatisfactory ratings, being convicted of a crime that did not lead to termination or ranking in the bottom 30 percent, would determine which teachers get fired.

Flanagan said the bill would not get rid of seniority; just ensure seniority is not the only factor in teacher terminations.

Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), a member of the Education Committee, said he supports overhauling the current process, but could not support Flanagan’s bill.

“We cannot discard the flawed LIFO process if the replacement process is just as flawed and creates legal issues. We must have a process that evaluates the teachers fairly and logically,” Addabbo said.

The United Federation of Teachers (UFT), New York City’s teachers union, is predictably fighting heavily against the repeal of LIFO.

“People who were accused—but never found guilty—of misconduct would find themselves on the chopping block [under Flanagan’s bill],” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew. “Meanwhile, principals who have targeted certain teachers without even seeing their work—as recently portrayed in a report by the DOE on the actions of principal Iris Blige—would have a new way to force out employees they just don’t like.”

The city recently disciplined Fordham High School principal Iris Blige for ordering assistant principals to give teachers she wanted to fire “unsatisfactory” ratings—without even observing the teachers in the classroom.

The bill was heard at the Senate’s Education Committee on Tuesday, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg travelled to Albany to lobby for the bill. It passed the Education Committee and was sent to the state Senate Tuesday night where it passed.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, however, threw a wrench into Bloomberg’s small victory Tuesday night by introducing a new bill. Cuomo’s bill would implement a statewide standard for teacher evaluations, which is backed by the unions. However, Bloomberg claims this new bill will do nothing to avoid his proposed layoffs.

The New York Times reports Cuomo’s bill is likely to get support in both the Senate and the Assembly; Flanagan’s bill was unlikely to pass the Assembly.

As the debate rages on over LIFO, the UFT is categorizing the city’s release of proposed layoffs as a “scare tactic” and political maneuvering.

In District 24—covering Corona, Lefrak City, Elmhurst, Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, Ridgewood and south of Woodside—8 percent of teachers would be cut. In District 27—covering Far Rockaway, Seaside, Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, South Ozone Park, Rochdale, Springfield Gardens, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven and Ozone Park—6 percent of teachers would be cut. And in District 28—covering South Jamaica, Rochdale, Kew Gardens, Rego Park, Forest Hills and Jamaica—5 percent of teachers would be cut.

Looking at the impact on individual schools paints an even bleaker picture. P.S. 58 in Maspeth would lose 17 teachers. P.S. 290 in Maspeth would lose 3 teachers, half of their current total. Newly opened Queens Metropolitan High School would have to lay off nine teachers.

Queens Metropolitan High School principal Marci Levy Maguire told the New York Post that she supported the Mayor’s fight against LIFO. “Our new teachers are fantastic. They’re innovative. I would have hired differently had I known I would lose them,” she said.

Mulgrew said the city should stop focusing on layoffs and focus on the children.

“We’ve already lost nearly 5,000 teachers to attrition in the last two years, and class sizes are skyrocketing across the city. It’s time the Mayor joined us in fighting for the children of our city by supporting the extension of the state millionaire’s tax, rather than continuing to focus … on a bogus strategy to lay teachers off,” he said.

DOT Presents Maspeth Bypass Proposal

2011-03-03T10:39:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

The city Department of Transportation finally responded to years of protests and requests to address truck traffic in Maspeth and released its proposal of the “Maspeth Bypass and Intersection Normalization” study last Wednesday.

Concerned residents gathered at the Kowalinski VFW Post on Maspeth Avenue as DOT officials answered questions and presented the department’s plan to get trucks away from Maspeth’s residential streets and commercial areas to improve the safety and quality of life for the community.

The DOT’s first order of business is to make Grand and Flushing avenues as local truck routes beginning March 25. For years, truckers could skip traffic on the highways and take Grand or Flushing avenues—a through truck route—on the way to make local deliveries in Brooklyn.

The DOT has also proposed directing trucks travelling through Queens to take the Queens-Midtown Expressway/Long Island Expressway to exit 18 at Borden Avenue. Trucks would then make a left on 58th Street south towards Rust Street, make a right on Grand Avenue and continue on Grand Street to Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn. Currently truckers tend to get off earlier exits and travel solely down Grand Avenue or Flushing Avenue, which encompasses the more residential and commercial centers of Maspeth.

To go with the bypass, the DOT plans to improve the five-leg intersection where Maspeth Avenue meets 57th Place, 58th Street, Maurice Avenue, and 56th Terrace. The improvements include providing a left turn lane on Maspeth Avenue to Rust Street, converting 57th Place one-way northbound, converting Maspeth Avenue one-way eastbound between Maurice Avenue and 59th Street, eliminating the left turn from 58th Street to 56th Terrace, converting 58th Street one-way southbound and converting Maurice Avenue one-way northbound.

These changes would necessitate a slight route change for the Q39 bus. DOT officials at the meeting indicated the MTA has said changing the bus route would not be an issue.

The proposal was met with mixed reviews from the community. While residents at the meeting were pleased the DOT was moving the project forward, they felt the DOT’s actions needed improvement. “It’s a start,” said Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5. Giordano said he was worried that the one-way conversions, especially the conversion of Maspeth Avenue, could wreak havoc on Maspeth residents’ daily commutes.

Mary Anna Zero, of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, said the plan seemed good, as long as it was enforced. Trucks in the area block pedestrian traffic and buildings get covered in diesel, which makes it difficult for businesses in the area. It was time something was done, she said.

Tony Nunziato, a civic activist who was among the first to fight for a Maspeth bypass—he and Frank Principe presented a similar version of a bypass to Community Board 5 more than 10 years ago—said the plan had major flaws.

“A bypass means it bypasses all residential homes,” Nunziato said. “It is not a successful plan until all residential areas are bypassed.”

Many trucks travel from Brooklyn on Flushing Avenue to reach the Long Island Expressway, and the DOT did not present a bypass for that route, Nunziato said. He stressed a majority of the area’s truck traffic stems from this route, and without addressing it, the community’s problems would not be alleviated. Nunziato’s original plan called for trucks to make a left on 55th Street to Grand Avenue up to Rust Street.

Giordano expressed concerns that a route from Brooklyn into Queens was not presented as well. Bob Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, also questioned why the trucks from Brooklyn were not addressed.

“They didn’t include the other direction at all,” Holden said.

Awareness was a big issue for the DOT; what’s the purpose of changing all the routes if truckers don’t know about them? The department intends to erect multiple signs alerting truckers about local and through truck routes on Maspeth’s streets, as well as signs indicating the proper way to the highways. On the Long Island Expressway, signs will be posted that inform truck drivers that exit 18 is the proper way to enter Maspeth.

“Just putting the signs up will change the activity [of the truckers],” said Queens Borough Commissioner Maura McCarthy.

DOT spokesman Scott Gastel said many of the residents’ concerns about Brooklyn routes could be solved with signage guiding trucks to the proper routes. He also said the DOT will continue to work with the community to make further improvements.

These changes can’t come soon enough for a community that has waited years for a solution to its problems. McCarthy said the next step was to analyze the community input they received at this meeting and a formal presentation to Community Board 5, which she hopes will be by May. Tentatively, the redesign of the five-leg intersection will begin this summer.

Doors Unlocked for Ridgewood Y

2011-03-03T10:36:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

The renovations are complete, and the Ridgewood YMCA is “here for good” to serve the community. Formerly the Catalpa Center YMCA, a satellite program of the Long Island City YMCA, the site escaped possible closure and underwent three years of construction that cost more than $8 million. The result is a new state of the art facility.

The building officially opened its doors to the public in January, but last Friday YMCA held its official ribbon cutting ceremony for the center. President and CEO of YMCA of Greater New York Jack Lund was joined by many of the politicians who helped fund the project: Congressman Anthony Weiner, Senator Joe Addabbo, Assemblyman Mike Miller, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley and Councilwoman Diana Reyna.

Lund thanked the community for supporting the project and promised the Ridgewood Y would become a lasting social center for the community. “This is about all of us working together with a common goal to strengthen the foundations of the Ridgewood and Glendale communities to build healthy, confident and connected kids, adults and families,” he said.

“The YMCA is here for them, and we’re here for good,” Lund continued.

Lund gave Marshall a ceremonial key to the Ridgewood YMCA in honor of her work in ensuring the renovations were completed. The Ridgewood YMCA also named its new daycare facility, the Helen M. Marshall Early Childhood Education Center, in recognition for her support.

There were serious concerns the YMCA would close. The building, originally built in 1930 as a courthouse, was deteriorating and rising operational costs made continued funding difficult. Lund said he and Marshall came together to keep the Y open.

The new Ridgewood YMCA features new and modernized youth program spaces, fitness equipment, weight training and gym. It will serve as a pilot program for the YMCA’s national revitalization and will test new strategies to better serve the community.

The facility is located at 69-04 64th Street. For information about joining YMCA visit ymcanyc.org/ridgewood or call 212-912-2180.

Issues at Grover Cleveland Playground Addressed at Citizens for a Better Ridgewood Meeting

2011-03-03T10:34:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Local resident John Perricone and Citizens for a Better Ridgewood for months to rid Grover Cleveland Playground of unruly athletes and illegal food vendors.

At this month’s Citizens for a Better Ridgewood meeting on Monday night, city Parks Department officials and the 104th Precinct discussed ways to clean up the park.

Perricone claims the park’s visitors are a nuisance to the community, often double-parking or stopping in front of bus stops, fire hydrants and driveways—there are even accounts of people urinating on private property.

Grover Cleveland Playground’s Park Manager Helaine Soressi said the Parks Department is looking for better ways to involve the community in park activities. These efforts include giving more permits to community youth organizations and softball leagues rather than just letting any group use the fields. She said the department was looking to have more non-permitted time on weekend mornings so residents can use the park without dealing with the athletic leagues. Another option discussed was to give athletic permits on a rotating schedule so all the leagues don’t crowd the park on the same day.

The Parks Department is also looking to inform the community about the process for issuing permits to vendors.

“They’re going to meet with an advisory group to understand their community impact and so the community knows if the vendor is breaking the rules of the permit,” Soressi said.

Michael Hetzer, Citizens for a Better Ridgewood President, said the community’s efforts have nothing to do with who is using the park or for what purposes.

“I’m thrilled activities are going on, but they need to be good neighbors,” Hetzer said.
Regarding police presence at the park, the 104th Precinct’s Community Affairs Officer Tommy Bell stressed the importance of calling 311 if you see any violations at the park. “As much as we can, we will try to be there as fast as possible,” he said.

Inspector Keith Green, commanding officer of the 104th Precinct, attended the meeting to update the community on the area’s crime news. Most major crimes are down in the precinct, but auto thefts are still on the rise. Arrests are also increasing. There has been a 25 percent increase in major arrests, and a 14 percent overall increase in arrests in the precinct so far this year, Green said. Officers are also issuing more quality of life summonses.

Green reiterated the hard work the precinct has been doing to catch and charge graffiti vandals. “We’re getting jail time on these people now,” he said. The 104th Precinct is number one in graffiti related arrests in the city, and contrary to The Daily News report last week that said the 104th Precinct had 800 complaints, the precinct actually conducted 800 cleanups.

Another cause of concern for residents is deception burglaries. Green reported on a recent incident involved an 87-year-old woman who was approached by someone claiming to be her next-door neighbor. The man claimed his basement flooded and needed to check the victim’s basement. While the two inspected the basement, an accomplice upstairs stole property from the woman’s home. A variation of this crime includes people posing as utility company workers, he said.
The best way to prevent these crimes is to deny entry to anyone not specifically called for work or inspections, Green said. He stressed that residents should call 911 if they see suspicious activity.

“These people are trained and very convincing,” he warned.

Local Politicians Fight Against MTA Depot Proposal

2011-03-03T10:33:00.003-05:00

By Eric Yun

The city and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) are still looking to open another Access-a-Ride depot in Maspeth, but local politicians are unifying in opposition.

The MTA is relocating a Greenpoint, Brooklyn depot set for conversion into a public park and one possible solution is a vacant, city-owned property in Maspeth, on 49th Street between 56th Road and Galasso place in the western, industrial section of Maspeth.

The new depot would be used for parking for MTA’s Access-a-Ride vehicles, but residents said it would only add to the area’s traffic congestion. At capacity, the Greenpoint depot houses approximately 120 vehicles. It is unclear how many vehicles would move to the possible Maspeth site.

“It’s a terrible idea,” said Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside). “The city is clearly pushing this through because they made a deal in Brooklyn.”

Van Bramer wrote a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday against the move. “The MTA has two existing depots in Maspeth that add to the pollution and traffic problem. Moreover, the community is overwhelmed with illegal truck traffic and conventional truck traffic because of a large industrial zone adjacent to the area. Another MTA depot would only exacerbate the current health and traffic problem this community already faces,” he said.

The letter was cosigned by Representatives Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) and Anthony Weiner (D-Kew Gardens), State Senator Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), Assembly Members Cathy Nolan (D-Ridgewood), Marge Markey (D-Maspeth) and Michael Miller (D-Woodhaven), and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village).

Gianaris wrote a separate letter to MTA Chairman Jay Walder about the move. “This is a completely unacceptable situation that indicates the MTA is favoring one New York City neighborhood, located in Brooklyn, over another in Queens,” the letter said. Gianaris applauded the Greenpoint community for fighting for green space, but reiterated that the MTA should not comply at the expense of Maspeth residents.

Van Bramer and Gianaris in their respective letters blasted the MTA and the city for not involving them in the process.

“The disturbing aspect of it is there has been no community input, no notification, no planning,” Van Bramer said. “It appears the administration wants to do this, but we’re going to fight real hard.”

Van Bramer’s office has scheduled a rally at the proposed site on 49th Street and Galasso Place on Friday, March 4, at 2:30 p.m.

Politics Unusual: Reagan Republicans Must Look For a New Home—And President

2011-03-03T10:25:00.001-05:00

Visiting the Republican political scene in south Queens is always an amusing romp, however, this week, local political junkies really have something (and someone) to sink their teeth into down in Howard Beach. The feast begins by putting the microscope over the Old Mill Yacht Club for a meeting of the Ronald Reagan Republican Club.

But wait a minute, on an important side note, after this month, members and interested parties will not be attending any meetings at the Old Mill Yacht Club. The Reagan Republicans were officially tossed out of the Old Mill after a verbal altercation that was the latest in a string of almost “zany events” involving the club’s president, Rosemary Ciulla-Frisone. According to club insiders, there is a strong faction hoping to see Ciulla-Frisone escorted out the door—for an ever-increasing list of reasons.

But wait just another minute. Let’s not pin this info just on club insiders. Anyone in the room for the meeting on Tuesday night could bear witness to what amounted to no less than a presidential unraveling. Adding insult to injury, all this took place while cake was being served in celebration of Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday.

Now back to inside information. Where it does begin to play a part in this tale is expressed distaste from members who say that Ciulla-Frisone has been running the club as though it were a civic organization. Concerns include her disregard of member’s objections to the Democratic guest speakers she invites to address the Republican membership and her strong personal agenda. Last month, first vice-president of the club Mary Ann Carey, conspicuously absent at this month’s meeting, approached Ciulla-Frisone privately to address the issue, at which point Ciulla-Frisone erupted and began screaming in front of dozens of attendees. (Carey, a seasoned veteran in community politics and civic affiliations will most likely not return while Ciulla-Frisone remains as president.) Ciulla-Frisone’s response to Carey was heard by all in the room, “This is my club. I do what I want.”

Which brings us to the next bone of Republican contention—members have made repeated requests to form a nominating committee and hold those elections mandated by the club’s by-laws, which have been repeatedly disregarded. Outrage over her bizarre behavior is coming from members, bystanders and anyone else within earshot of her inappropriate escapades. Calls for an election were coming from every corner and were amplified on Tuesday evening when more than twenty people in the room witnessed a meltdown which included vigorous arm flailing, shouting and slurs against fellow Republicans. “I don’t get paid for this,” Ciulla-Frisone repeatedly reminded those in attendance, “and I’ve really had enough.”

Finally, an agreement is close at hand. Frisone has had enough of the club and the club has certainly had enough of her. It would be unfortunate if the Reagan Republicans would suffer in the face of this dissention, however signs of hope were certainly present. Experienced and savvy members were there in full force with District Leader Jane Deacy and Joann Ariola on hand to offer guidance and suggestions on how to effectively proceed with the impending election.

In the meantime, a little advice for future Republican club president hopefuls:

The only Democrats you should welcome to the club should be carrying forms to change their registration.

The purpose of a Republican club is to promote Republican candidates.

A political club has no room for personal agenda.

You shouldn’t call someone a “crook” in December and ask them to be your guest speaker in February.

Try not to insult your district leader while she and some of her loyal supporters are in the room.

Other than these few things, you can basically do whatever you want.

Bottom line: It is a far better thing to step aside then to be tossed out.

Until next time…

This Week's Forum South and West

2011-02-24T11:39:00.001-05:00

Beloved Howard Beach Religious Leader Passes

2011-02-24T11:37:00.001-05:00

The Forum Newsgroup wishes to express our deepest sympathy to the family of Pastor Werner Kordon of the Howard Beach Assembly of God, on his passing. Pastor Kordon first came to Howard Beach in 1953 and began the Full Gospel Assembly on 99th Street and 158th Avenue. He and his wife Mabel, faithfully served the community for more than 50 years before retiring to Florida where he passed away on Monday. As The Forum goes to press arrangements for prayer services and burial have not yet been confirmed. Please call the Howard Beach Assembly of God for more information at 718.641.6785 or check The Forum online for updates at theforumnewsgroup.com Please remember to pick up next week’s issue when we will feature an article about Pastor Kordon which will be written by his daughter Lois Griepp.

Stepping Up to the Plate for a Teammate in Need

2011-02-24T11:32:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

On January 19, 12-year-old Jesse Iacovetta was home alone when his home in Bayside accidently caught fire. His hero that day was firefighter Antonio Velez of Engine 320, who heard the boy’s screams and rushed into the burning house to save him.

Jesse is slowly recovering, and his teammates from the Forest Hills Little League are making sure he gets all the support he needs. They’ve already taken steps to help where they could.

Step one: a brand new iPod Touch to replace the one burned in the fire. Step two: a check for $5,000 to help pay for medical bills.

After hearing about the accident, parents of teammates Yolanda Vega and Jamie Haberstumpf knew they had to help. “When I learned how deeply Jesse was burned, I broke down. This could happen to my son,” Vega said.

The two women started a campaign to raise funds for Jesse’s medical bills, teaming up with Larry Berkowitz, the executive director of the league, to create a fund for Jesse’s medical bills. Berkowitz said most kids start playing in the league when they’re four years old and continue until they are twelve. “We watch them grow up, and we become a family. When something like this happens, it hurts us all,” Berkowitz said.

A “Team Jesse” t-shirt was produced with proceeds going towards the fund. Other fundraising efforts such as bake sales were also coordinated. What started out as an effort between parents of Jesse’s teammates slowly involved the whole community. Vega said local schools, synagogues and churches all started to help once they found out about the fund.

Medical bills are astronomical, but money was not the only thing needed to help the family. Personal belongings that weren’t de- stroyed in the fire were stolen, including $5,000 worth of jewelery, while Jesse’s father stayed with his son at the hospital. In response, the community began donating fur- niture and other necessities—Jesse is now the proud owner of a queen sized bed.

There is a long road of rehabilitation ahead. For now Jesse has to wear special protective gloves and sleeves for most of the day. But on Monday, Jesse was reminded he has a great support system when his teammates visited for the first time and presented their gifts.

Jesse’s father, Billy Iacovetta, was touched by the support he received. “It was amazing. I never heard of a community coming together to help someone out like this,” he said. “The love and support we received was overwhelming. How do you show your gratitude after something like this?”

Billy Iacovetta is hopeful that Jesse’s drive, hard work in rehab and athletic ability, which includes a 2nd degree black belt in taekwondo, will get him back to center field for the Bombers on opening day, April 9.

And that would be more than enough thanks for the community.

Haberstumpf stressed the fundraising efforts are not over, and more help is desperately needed. To purchase a “Team Jesse” t-shirt or for more information about helping Jesse, contact Jamie Haberstumpf at baseballmomoffour@gmail.com

Donations can be sent to the Forest Hills Little League, Attention: Jesse Iacovetta Fund, 66-01 Fleet Street, Forest Hills, NY 11375.

From Howard Beach to Hollywood: Chasing the Dream

2011-02-24T11:27:00.001-05:00

By Patricia Adams

Over the last few months, more than 125,000 people brought their talents and dreams to American Idol auditions in seven cities across the country. They carried with them the same hope—to be chosen as a contestant for this year’s season of the hit Fox television show.

Within a few short weeks of nationwide auditions, the numbers were drastically reduced. Only 327 contestants were informed by the judges that they were “Going to Hollywood” to compete in the show’s famed Hollywood week.

The remaining hopefuls were dropped with successive elimination rounds in Hollywood. From 327, the number was reduced to 60, and then to 40. Now unofficial reports and blogs listing the final 24 contestants have been published, and the official results will be aired this week.

And so after Thursday night when the announcement is made and the fanfare is over, still standing on the stage—having been chosen over the 124,976 singers that went home—will be a 22-year-old wedding singer from Howard Beach: Pia Toscano.

Despite her young age, the quiet and unassuming singer has already been engaging audiences for the last 18 years. “We have video of Pia when she was four,” proud father Pat Toscano said. “She was singing Whitney Houston.”

Toscano admits that the fervor to support his daughter’s career is somewhat fueled by the musical aspirations he had at her age, which he was forced to set aside because of familial obligations. “I had to get a job that paid,” he laughs. “My father didn’t quite see the merit of my band.”

But Pia knows nothing about fighting for parental support in the quest for singing stardom; Toscano and wife Jane are arguably at the top of Pia’s support system, along with her sister Kim, a timpanist for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.

“Her heart is more beautiful than anything,” Jane Toscano says of her daughter. “Pia loves people and has so much to offer as a role model for younger kids.” Such high praise from a mother is expected, but many others around Howard Beach, where Pia grew up, share similar sentiments.

Starting with fellow Howard Beach resident Phyllis Inserillo, who was Pia’s religion teacher at St. Helen’s when Pia was a teen, it seems her mother is right—everyone loves Pia.

“She owes me everything,” Inserillo joked. “She was 14 when I gave her a start singing at my wedding.” Inserillo went on to tell The Forum how she learned of Pia’s voice. “We [our class] had taken a trip to a local firehouse right after 9/11 to bring some home baked goods and cards for the fireman.” At the firehouse, one of Pia’s classmates suggested she sing. “After I got beyond the shock that such a huge voice was coming out of a tiny little body, I was an instant fan. I knew Pia was special,” recalled Inserillo. Everyone in the crowd, moved to tears by Pia’s stirring rendition of God Bless America, was in agreement with Inserillo.

For Pia, it was just the beginning of appearances throughout the community, always giving her time to charity events and helping whenever asked. Over the years it has not only been her voice that has attracted such loyalty, it’s also been the humble and warm personality that goes along with the tremendous talent. Sadly, her number one fan is not here to share the excitement. Grandpa Jay, whom Pia refers to as her hero, passed away a few years ago. “From the time Pia could talk, all she wanted to do was call her Nana to say she was coming over to be with Grandpa Jay,” her mother said. “Their birthdays were one day apart and they were inseparable. I’ve never seen a relationship like that before.”

In fact, Jane says when she was pregnant with Pia her father would accompany her to every doctor’s appointment. “He would look at the sonograms and say—‘I think she looks like me.’” And according to all who knew them it isn’t only looks Pia shared with Grandpa Jay—it’s a kind and loving nature.

Back in 2006 as an Idol contestant, when Jay’s health was failing, Pia was devastated because she didn’t make the cut after Hollywood week. “She wanted to give him his dream; he wanted to see her name in lights,” said Jane Toscano. “But my father was a patient man. He’s watching all of this right now and believe me, he couldn’t be happier.”

Grandpa Jay is now joined by the rest of America, especially Howard Beach, waiting to see how far the little girl with the big voice—and the bigger heart—will rise in the ranks of America’s most prominent talent competition.

The Forum will continue its coverage on this amazing journey every week with “Idol Watch— How’s Pia Doing?” Please join us and if you have something you’d like to tell us about Pia or just wish her well, contact us by e-mail at forumsouth@gmail.com or fax at (718) 738-7645.

State Cuts Blamed for City's Budget Sorrows

2011-02-24T11:24:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has received the typical lashing from labor leaders, teachers, fire fighters and police since releasing his proposed 2012 budget. Bloomberg, in his defense, has lashed out at the Governor’s office for shortchanging the city.

The proposed $65.6 billion budget, released February 17, includes cutting fire and police departments, while putting thousands of teachers out of work.

In the budget, Bloomberg largely blamed the State’s fiscal irresponsibility for worsening financial conditions in the city.

“Our sound management will help avoid the worst impacts of State cuts, but we can’t compensate for the full loss in State funding,” Bloomberg said. “We’re ready to do our part to help the State, but we don’t deserve to be penalized for our responsible actions. If the State does not come through, layoffs and service cuts will be more severe.”

Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley (D- Middle Village) said the cuts go too far, threatening public safety and forcing the FDNY to “roll the dice” on fire response.

"The State is being unfair in its distribution of funding to the City but it is the Mayor who decides what to cut and what to keep,” Crowley said. “At a time when the City has dumped billions of dollars into a failed 911-system upgrade—and will spend millions more to have NASA try to fix it—the Mayor is reducing FDNY staffing and proposing to close 20 fire companies. Simply put, it doesn’t matter how fancy our 911-system is if there’s no one at the firehouse to answer your emergency call.”

With firehouse closures on the horizon, Crowley sees a smoke signal for disaster.

“As we can see from the deadly fire in Brooklyn last Saturday, closing companies at a time when our fire services are responding to more emergencies than ever before will jeopardize the lives of New Yorkers," she said.

Police stations are also feeling the cut of budget reductions. The 104th Precinct requested consideration in the budget for additional patrol officers—the station is down to less than 130 patrol officers from their optimal 200. While the request is unlikely to be approved, the station did receive one of the city’s deeper financial cuts. Nearly $1.2 million was cut from the already svelte precinct.

Despite the “belt-tightening” Bloomberg has touted for years, several indicators of New York City’s prosperity were highlighted in the budget proposal, from the city’s solid housing market (compared to other major cities) to the record 48.7 million visitors last year. The report also shows that the city has a reserve surplus of $3.2 billion heading into 2012.

The city’s reserve surplus, Governor Andrew Cuomo said this week, could be used to stave off teacher layoffs. Bloomberg responded by saying, "The governor’s office is not an expert on the city.

“We have put an extra $2.1 billion this year into education, at the same time other levels of government are cutting back the amount of money they’re putting into education. I think we would have a little more credibility in speaking about what we can afford," Bloomberg added.

Under the proposed budget, the city’s revenue will increase 5.6 percent. However, expenses—including an increase of $1.86 billion to fund the Department of Educa- tion—were projected to increase 11.5 percent to $49.9 billion, leaving a deficit of $4.6 billion. Without significant cuts, this would pull the city out of surplus and into debt in 2012.

The budget calls for the $1.86 billion in DOE funding in response to state-level cuts of $1.4 billion to the city for education and the loss of $850 million in federal funding dedicated to teacher salaries.

Bloomberg’s budget proposal highlights the decade’s rise in education spending, from $5.9 billion in 2002 to $13.6 billion in 2012. In 2002, non-federal state and city spending on education were equal, according to the budget. In 2012, the report said, city spending will make up 62 percent of non-federal funding and state spending will only account for 38 percent of non-federal spending.

The 2012 budget calls more than 6,000 teachers will lose their jobs, nearly 1,500 through attrition and roughly 4,500 layoffs.

Bloomberg said that before layoffs start, the State needs to approve city changes to the “Last-In-First-Out” policy so qualified teach- ers can remain despite any lack of seniority.
Crowley said the mechanism for eliminating bad teachers and retaining talented ones already exists.

"State budgets cuts to the City do not justify any teacher lay offs—the Governor made this point clear,” Crowley said. "Rather than playing the blame game through the media, the Mayor needs to work with all parties involved."

Meanwhile, the teachers union has launched a $1 million ad campaign that harps on Bloomberg for cutting teachers while leaving a “millionaire tax” out of the budget.

New Laws Aim for Transparency and Clean Air

2011-02-24T11:21:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

The city’s air is about to be a little fresher. With a blot of ink and a flick of the wrist, Mayor Michael Bloomberg made the extension of the smoking ban to city parks and beaches official. As of February 22, smokers had a little less city space for their butts.

"Frederic Law Olmstead hailed public parks as the 'lungs of the City'—a haven where one could escape the overcrowded, noisy, and polluted streets,” Bloomberg said. “We need to en- sure that our public spaces provide just that - a healthy place in which to relax and enjoy the surroundings.”

New York passed the city’s first Smoke Free Air Act in 1988, and amended it three times. In 2002, smoking was banned in indoor public areas. The city has also banned the sale of flavored tobacco and the Department of Health launched annual smoking cessation programs.

"Because of our combined efforts over the last nine years, there are 350,000 fewer people who smoke and New Yorkers are living nineteen months longer than they did in 2002,” Bloomberg said. “But there is still work to be done.”

There are still 950,000 adult smokers and 18,000 teenage smokers in New York City, according to Bloomberg. Additionally, cigarette-related litter accounts for 75 percent of all litter on beaches and 33 percent of all litter in parks, he said.

Not everyone in the city is praising the ban. When City Council approved the bill, the vote was 36-12. Councilmember Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) was among the dissenters.

“While I understand the health concerns that prompted the introduction of this bill, it is nothing more than another example of government intruding into the private lives of New Yorkers,” Ulrich said in a statement after the vote. “Whether we like it or not smokers pay taxes and they have rights too. We need to be mindful of the fact that we’re infringing on the rights and freedoms of everyday residents who are not breaking the law.”

Along with possibly infringing on rights, the law seems difficult to enforce—it’s not a police matter. The smoking ban will be enforced by Parks Department Enforcement Police, which works well at the beach but becomes problematic in public squares and pedestrian places where the Parks Department doesn’t patrol.

Nevertheless, Bloomberg expressed optimism about the impact of this bill.

“If we can protect our children from the dangers of smoking, we can raise an entire generation of New Yorkers who are free from the dangers of nicotine addiction,” he said.

The mayor also signed three other bills into law, all aiming to increase road safety. Two bills require the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the police to post vehicle and bi- cycle accident information, while the fourth requires the DOT, upon request, to provide City Council and Community Boards with an explanation when a request for a traffic signal or multiway stop sign was denied.

The police will be required to publish information relating to traffic crashes, traffic-related fatalities and injuries and moving violations issued. The DOT will be required to update its pedestrian safety report every five years and publish bicycle related accidents.

The city only recently began keeping statistics on bicycle related traffic accidents; the first round of data will be published late this year. With mandatory traffic info published online by both the DOT and police, city officials are trying to increase transparency in the city’s transportation network.

MTA Looks to Maspeth for New Depot Site

2011-02-24T11:18:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

A fight by residents in Greenpoint, Brooklyn to push the MTA out of the community could have a negative outcome for Maspeth.

The Brooklyn Paper reported last week that political rivals Councilman Steve Levin (D- Greenpoint) and Greenpoint district leader Lincoln Restler were both pressuring the MTA to abandon its Access-a-Ride depot at 65 Commercial Street. In 2005, the city agreed to build parkland at the site, but in the following six years, the MTA has yet to obtain a new property to store Access-a-Ride vehicles.

Now, the MTA is considering a site in Maspeth to relocate the Acess-a-Ride depot. According to MTA spokesman Aaron Dono- van, the proposed site is on the east side of 49th Street, between 56th Road and Galasso Place.

“We’re working with the Mayor’s Office, which has agreed to make the site ready for use as a depot,” Donovan said in an e-mail.

For a community that already feels overburdened by commercial traffic, the proposed site is worrisome.

“We have enough truck and vehicular traffic in our community now,” said Roe Daraio,
president of Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together (COMET). “COMET is looking to green our neighborhoods—not add more pollution.”

Maspeth, like Greenpoint, has been fighting for more public parkland. Residents have fought an ongoing battle to convert the former St. Saviour’s property into a park. The community also deals with constant traffic congestion.

The Cross Harbor Freight Program could create more truck traffic in that area if the proposal goes through, and the expansion of Waste Management’s Review Avenue site will bring more garbage trucks through the neighborhood. The MTA also already has an Access-a-Ride depot on Maurice Avenue.

“As far as I’m concerned, if Brooklyn wants to create a park at Access-a-Ride’s present location, then an alternate site should be found in Brooklyn,” Daraio said.

The MTA is also looking at an alternate site in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

This Week's Forum South and West

2011-02-17T11:19:00.001-05:00

Burglars Hit Lindenwood: Two Apartment Buildings Targeted

2011-02-17T11:17:00.001-05:00

Burglaries continue to plague Lindenwood residents, the two most recent incidents occurring late last week. Residents at the Southgate Apartments, located at 149-30 88th Street, say they observed a suspicious Hispanic male, approximately 5’8”, in his late 20’s around the building before leaving for work on Friday morning. Upon their return home, they discovered their apartment had been broken into. Police say that the burglar entered the premises from a fire escape. Among the missing items were a 32” flat screen TV, a computer system with a monitor and an X box game console.

An additional burglary was also reported last week at the Eastwood Apartments located at 89th Street and 155th Avenue. It is believed the suspects entered the apartment building using keys for the front door and then again at the apartment door because there were no signs of forced entry. An undisclosed amount of cash and jewelry was stolen from the apartment. Residents who spoke with The Forum and wished to remain anonymous said they believed the incident to be an “inside job.”

In total, police sources at the 106th Precinct confirmed that there were six separate burglaries in Lindenwood between January 15th and February 11th. Two of the incidents occurred at private homes and four were committed in apartment buildings in the area.

“We realize that the police are doing everything they can,” said Joann Ariola, co-founder of the newly formed Lindenwood Alliance, “but we have to do everything in our power to assist them with their investigation thorough observation and accurate reporting.”

Ariola said it is the intention of the Alliance to foster improved communications with the 106th Precinct and make residents more aware of things they can do to safeguard themselves and their property. To that end, the Alliance will have a host of guest speakers at their next meeting.

Expected to address Lindenwood residents are Claudia Filomena, Queens Director of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit and Capt. Thomas Pascale, Commanding Officer of the 106th Precinct. Also on hand will be Agent James Capozzi, a representative from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who will speak with residents about InfraGuard, a national program dedicated to sharing information and intelligence in order to combat terrorism in the United States. The group is a non-profit organization that is a public-private partnership between U.S. businesses and the F.B.I. InfraGuard is an association of businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement agencies, and other participants.

The meeting will be held on March 14th at 7: 30 p.m. at the Rockwood Park Jewish center located at 156-45 84th Street with an entrance on 85th Street between 156th and 157th avenues. All residents are encouraged to attend.

New Strategy in Search for Carousel Operator

2011-02-17T11:14:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

The wheels are turning to get the shuttered Forest Park carousel open after more than two years without an operator. The Parks Department is drafting request for proposals that would link the historic carousel with another in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

The request—expected to be released next month—will allow the new concessionaire running the carousel in Forest Park to run the traditionally more profitable carousel in Flushing Meadows near the Queens Zoo when the current vendor’s contract expires in 2012.

Two prior requests for a Forest Park carousel operator in January and March 2009 went unanswered until 2010, and even then Parks was unable to close the bid with their highest-rated applicant.

“We hope this offer will be more attractive to prospective bidders and result in a first-class operation for the public to enjoy,” Parks Department Spokesperson Patricia Bertuccio said.

Ed Wendell of the Woodhaven Resident’s Block Association (WRBA), who runs a Facebook page dedicated to the revival of the Forest Park carousel, welcomed the new proposal.

“People have been frustrated with [Parks] lack of creativity,” Wendell said. “I like this idea. From what I hear, they’re not real happy with the current vendor [at Flushing Meadows].”

New York One LLC, which operates the Flushing Meadows carousel, let its Forest Park contract lapse in 2008 and that carousel was closed.

A member of New York One LLC, and president of the Makkos Group, George Makkos, said he was unaware of the Parks Department plan to link the two carousels until he read a February 9 article in The Daily News. He said New York One LLC would make no decision on whether to bid on the offer until the request is released.

Meanwhile, the Forest Park carousel remains barbed and locked, sending “a depressing message,” said Wendell. “It’s been three consecutive years that it has been rotting and rusting.”

The park’s original carousel burnt down in 1966, and despite city assurances that it would be restored quickly, it wasn’t until 1972 that the carousel was installed, brought south from its home in Massachusetts. The carousel has elaborate wooden figures carved over 100 years ago by artist Daniel Carl Muller. The day it opened, the park was filled with police—crime in the park had become rampant. The park was slowly cleaned up and in 1989, after years of wear, the city contracted artist Marvin Sylvor to give the horses, unicorns and occasional tiger a makeover.

Community Board 9 District Manager Mary Ann Carey said she doesn’t know much about the Parks Department’s anticipated proposal but is eager for a qualified vendor to take over the carousel—a priority for CB9 since the early 1980s.

Carey said that thoughtful management and advertising could make the Forest Park attraction more profitable than the one in Flushing Meadows, because unlike Flushing Meadows, Forest Park is full of lush greenery through spring and summer. Additionally, she said, the recent renovation of the Forest Park band shell will increase traffic in the park.

“Everybody wants to see it operating and see someone who can maintain it that has an imagination and some talent in drawing people in,” Carey said. “We need to do something unique.”
“Maybe somebody needs to talk to Donald Trump,” she added with a laugh.

State Reports Show Area Schools Still Struggling

2011-02-17T11:12:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

Several Queens schools failed to make the grade at the beginning of this year when the New York State Education Department (NYSED) recently conducted evaluations in conjunction with the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE). The reports, released on February 11, show that many schools are still struggling to get ahead of their students’ educational needs—and some are falling further behind.

The NYSED/NYCDOE Joint Intervention Team Report and Recommendations focus on several variables, including curriculum, teaching, leadership, professional development and district support.
The evaluations are sometimes terse and biting. At the end of each report is a space for the evaluators to include specific information that could support a recommendation for action from the District.

In the report on John Adams High School in Ozone Park, the evaluator wrote simply, “The Principal has not demonstrated instructional leadership and has not provided teachers with appropriate feedback or [professional development]. The pervasive nature of this lack of leadership has led to systemic failure.”

The report had previously noted that although staff provided substantial data on the school, neither the Principal nor the staff could identify causes for persistent under-achievement or a plan to address the deficiency.

John Adams High School has also seen a rise in “subgroups” performing worse than “all students”—minorities are performing worse academically than previous years, while the school as a whole is performing better.

John Adams principal Grace Zwillenberg told The Forum she could not comment without approval from the NYCDOE. Its press office did not return an interview request by deadline.

Along with John Adams, Richmond Hill High School and Grover Cleveland High School also continued to be ranked among the city’s lowest-performers. Grover Cleveland, it was noted, has actually improved, just not enough.

Despite the continued failure of these schools to meet minimum state educational and structural requirements, the evaluators did not explicitly recommend closing or “reorganizing” the schools.

State Senator Joseph Addabbo released a statement expressing mixed feelings on Tuesday.

“While I am concerned about the conditions mentioned in the report regarding the area high schools, I am pleased that the [evaluators have] recommended to keep the schools open,” he said. “I intend to work with the DOE to ensure that the best education possible is provided for the young students and their families. It is time to move ahead and work together to help these students achieve success.”

While the problems of the three schools vary in stark degrees, there was one section of
each report that nearly mirrored the others— there is little evidence of district support for these schools.

Federal Funds Requested for Blizzard Cleanup

2011-02-17T11:09:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

The December 26 blizzard was more than just a nuisance. It could end up costing taxpayers millions of dollars. The State Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) surveyed the area and found close to $30 million in damage and cleanup costs.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has requested federal assistance from FEMA due to the December storms, but President Barack Obama must approve the request before any federal funds reach the state.
New York Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are requesting that President Obama quickly approve the funds. In a letter written to the President and Craig Fugate of FEMA, the senators stated, “Federal assistance is absolutely critical to helping New York State recover, and I respectfully urge your expeditious approval of this request.”

Besides the record snow amount, Schumer and Gillibrand noted the intense winds, ranging from 30 to 50 miles per hour, downed trees and eroded beaches. The conditions also created massive disruptions to the state and city’s transportation services.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Kew Gardens) also said funding was necessary for the area.
“New Yorkers suffered enough during the holiday storm that left the streets of Brooklyn and Queens looking more like Siberia—they shouldn’t be forced to suffer again by footing the bill for the cleanup and recovery,” Weiner said. “President Obama should approve Governor Cuomo’s disaster declaration request as soon as possible.”

Parents Weary of DOE Co-Location Plan

2011-02-17T11:04:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

Parents and politicians gathered in the auditorium of the Queens Metropolitan Expe- ditionary Learning School (MELS) on February 9 to offer public opinion on a city Department of Education (DOE) plan that many said was a “done deal.”

The DOE proposed “co-locating” the inaugural class of the new Maspeth high school in the MELS building for the 2011-2012 school year. The building, known as Metro Campus, also houses the Metropolitan High School and a special education school.

The Panel for Education Policy is expected to vote on the proposal on March 1. If approved, the freshman class of the Maspeth high school would begin a year early—the school’s own building at 54-40 74th Street won’t be complete until 2012—and students would be co-located at MELS.
The public hearing was mandated by law, and there was a sense in the room that the plan was moving forward despite opposition.

“We could have this auditorium filled, and everyone can say their piece and it’s still going to happen,” Community Education Council District 28 member Kathryn Thome said.

At the meeting, community representatives spoke briefly, often through prepared statement, before opening the floor to public comment. Some speakers, like CEC 28 Vice President Emily Ades, received roars of applause from the more than 100 attendees.

Ades read a statement on behalf of CEC 28, which said: “It is our belief that the long term goal of excellence in the three schools currently housed here at the Metro Campus will be compromised for the short term goal of opening Maspeth high school one year earlier. The incubation is not in the best interest of the children, families and community.”

The public comment period lasted more than two hours and speakers expressed concerns of bullying—delivered quietly by MELS students Kierra and Sasha, the meeting’s first public speakers—and concerns that the DOE had already made a decision.

While the town hall meeting was scheduled to record public opinion prior to a vote, some parents said that the Maspeth high school was included as a choice on the high school application in the MELS building was evidence that a decision was made.

But according to DOE spokesman Jack Zarin-Rosenfeld, schools that are still awaiting votes get included on the high school applications every year, because high school selections must be submitted this month—before the vote on Maspeth High School’s placement.

“It was included in the list because we need to give parents adequate time to choose a school,” Zarin-Rosenfeld said. “The vote is on placement, not whether the school will open.”

Several speakers were also concerned about student’s health and safety, complaining about the lack of operational cameras and missing doorknobs, understaffing of security guards and the fact that the school has only one nurse for nearly 700 current students. At capacity, the building will house almost 2,000 students.

MELS opened this year with grades six and seven, and will eventually serve grades six through 12. Next year, with the inclusion of the Maspeth high school, students would still occupy less than two-thirds of the building’s capacity. Despite the empty space, many parents were concerned that the new Maspeth high school’s own building would be incomplete next year, and they would find themselves overcrowded in the 2012-2013 year.

Dmytro Fedkowskyj, who serves as the Queens representative on the Panel on Education Policy, sat silently in the front of the auditorium for much of the meeting. Outside, away from still jeering parents, he said that in his three years on the panel, every proposed school building has opened as scheduled. He said he was concerned to hear about the Metro Center’s existing problems and he planned to report what parents had been saying about the buildings faults.

On the topic of co-location he said that “the school being imposed on is always going to take offence, they feel like they’re losing property and resources. But we ... have an enormous need for seats in Queens. This is an opportunity to serve 200 children.”

“I would not support this if it was for more than one year.” Fedkowskyj added. “We don’t want to impact other students. Based on the educational impact statement, based on the seat capacity in this building, there seems to be sufficient space.”

At the tail end of the public comment section, a supporter and founder of the Maspeth high school spoke on behalf of the students who would be residing in the Metro Center for the next year. She said that the students face overcrowding elsewhere, and that each parent would support the co-location if they were on the other side.

CEC 24 President Nick Comiani was one of few speakers other than the DOE repre- sentatives that expressed approval for the co-location, adding that CEC 24 had voted to support the proposal.
“I’m in favor of the school coming in if it’s done right,” he said. “This school is growing, they’re teaching a certain curriculum and it’s important not to let one school interfere with the other, but you have enough room for one year to give these kids one floor and a different administration.”

Councilmember Karen Koslowitz (D- Forest Hills), who attended the meeting, drafted a letter to Chancellor Cathleen Black asking for a written statement form the DOE that the co-location will last only one year. Council members Elizabeth Crowley, Andrew Havesi and Mike Miller co-signed the letter.

Community Board 5, which held a meeting the same night, agreed to draft a letter in favor of the co-location as their last order of business. Fedkowskyj, a Board member, voted in favor of the resolution.

MELS Co-Directors Pat Finley and Damon McCord said that while they are prepared for the new school to join them next year—and joked that they are prepared for everything—they insisted on not mak- ing any judgments on whether the co-location was positive or negative.

“Our opinion is less important than what was expressed tonight,” said McCord. “The leadership is just one tiny part, the people it really affects are parents, students and teachers.”

Forest Park Senior Center in Danger

2011-02-17T11:01:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Forest Park Senior Center, which has been a staple in Woodhaven for 31 years, is facing a budget shortfall that may lead to closing the center this July, said Executive Director Donna Marie Caltabiano.

“To survive a whole year without funding is not going to happen,” Caltabiano said. Forest Park Senior Center survives solely through discretionary funding, and as the state and city continue to cut services to bridge their budget deficits, senior centers like Caltabiano’s are in a perilous situation.

Last year, after a contentious state budget fight, Governor David Paterson vetoed the legislature’s member items last July. This left Caltabiano, who depends on funds from Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) and Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), with a significant amount of her funds missing for this year.

And the city funds are beginning to decrease as well. Caltabiano said the Borough President’s office has indicated they could not fund the center, and discretionary funds from City Council Members like Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) have decreased.
The center was originally founded by the late Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio, and he made sure he got the necessary funds, Caltabiano said. Now, she feels the center has been neglected.

“We’ve been a viable organization for 31 years, but now we feel slighted. We’re being let down by our elected officials,” Caltabiano said.

The state legislators understand Forest Park Senior Center’s troubles and is doing what they can to help.

“We’re fighting for member items,” said Miller, who replaced Seminerio in 2009. “Seniors are important to me, and I don’t want any centers closing.”

Member items, sometimes derided as pork spending, are critical to the district, Miller said. “They fund our senior centers, our after school programs, our veterans and other community improvements,” he continued.

Miller is also fighting to have Title 20 money—discretionary funds given to New York City historically used for senior centers and initiatives—remain dedicated to seniors. Governor Andrew Cuomo has hinted that Title 20 money would not fund seniors this year, Miller said.

In the State Senate, Addabbo will be fighting alongside Miller for member items and Title 20 money.

“I share [Donna Marie Caltabiano’s] con- cern. If we’re not given the opportunity to get member items to centers that need it, not only Donna’s but other centers are in danger,” Addabbo said.

There are several ways Addabbo says can be used to fund senior centers, like the one at Forest Park, without raising taxes and fees for the middle class. First, Addabbo said the state finance department has done a poor job getting allocated funds sent to the center.

According to Caltabiano, the $65,000 the senior center was allocated in last year’s budget still hasn’t arrived.

Another proposal from Addabbo is to aggressively collect money owed to the state in the form of back taxes, liens and violations. Addabbo said there are “hundreds of millions, maybe billions” owed to the state, and at least aggressively collecting the principal could help the budget.

“Our seniors have seen centers closed, their meals cut and have not had their Social Security COLA [Cost of Living Adjustment] raised. How much more can we hurt them?” Addabbo asked.

Over the next few weeks, Miller and Addabbo promised to fight to get the funding they needed to help resident seniors and other community groups.

Forest Park Senior Center has faced budget problems before, but Caltabiano fears her center is in serious trouble. “This year feels like this is it,” she said.

Maspeth Truck Routes Slowly Undergoing Changes

2011-02-17T10:57:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

“This should have happened ten years ago,” Tony Nunziato, Maspeth resident and activist, said about trucks rumbling through residential areas and clogging streets as they cut through Maspeth to avoid the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway or the Long Island Expressway. The neighborhood’s residents, led by the late Frank Principe, have been clamoring for changes in truck traffic for years.

Changes are on the way. A public hearing on the city Department of Transportation’s (DOT) proposal to convert Grand and Flushing avenues from “through” routes to “local” routes was held at last Wednesday’s Community Board 5 meeting.

The new route designation would force trucks without local deliveries in Queens and Brooklyn to use the highways. Under the current “through” route designation, trucks can avoid the congested highways and cut through Maspeth, even without a local delivery.

The new designations had unanimous support within the community.

“Everyone is aware of the problems the trucks cause in our community,” said Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth). Congested streets, noise pollution and noxious fumes plague the community.
“[The trucks] do not belong on our local shopping streets,” Markey continued.

Nunziato, who has been fierce critic of Markey—and former challenger to her Assembly seat—agreed getting trucks off the streets in critical for Maspeth. “If we can convert Times Square in three weeks to a pedestrian walkway and bicycle paths, then why can’t the people of Maspeth have their liveli- hood and health?” he asked. Reiterating that he and Frank Principe devised the Maspeth Bypass Plan—designed to route truck traffic away from residential areas of Maspeth to the
more commercial districts—a decade ago, Nunziato said the plan “should have been done a long time ago,” and it was time to “make sure we get what we deserve.”

Jim O’Kane, former president of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, complained about “that black smoke” trucks emit, polluting the neighborhood. He also noted that many of the senior citizens around the area are intimidated by large trucks thundering down their streets.

Also favoring the proposal was Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village). “I support this proposal by the DOT to prevent trucks from using Maspeth streets as through streets. For far too long, we have been burdened by these trucks that are destined for other boroughs, and they’re using our borough as a doormat,” Crowley said.

Markey stressed that this change is not a “panacea” for Maspeth’s truck problems. Many trucks would still be on the roads making local deliveries. However, she gave the community great news when she announced the DOT would release the results of “Maspeth Bypass and Intersection Normalization Study” and propose different ways to implement the Maspeth Bypass Plan. In the meantime, the public hearing at Community Board 5 was the last step to change Grand and Flushing avenues from through to local truck routes, and it is seen as an “interim” step before the larger Maspeth Bypass Plan is completed.

The DOT’s open house on the matter will be held at Kowalinski VFW Post, at 61-57 Maspeth Avenue, on February 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Drug Counseling Center Looks for New Location

2011-02-17T10:52:00.001-05:00

JNS wanted to purchase 752 Onderdonk Avenue (red arrow), but is now looking at 919 Wyckoff Avenue (A).

By Eric Yun

Last November, Community Board 5, despite some misgivings, approved a proposal from JNS Counseling Services to open a drug counseling and rehabilitation center at 752 Onderdonk Avenue in Ridgewood. However, JNS could not complete the purchase of the property, which forced them to look for a new site.

Ertuania Jorge, program director for JNS, presented the new proposed location, 919 Wyckoff Avenue, to board members at last Wednesday’s Community Board 5 meeting.

The new location is accessible from the L train and is the same size (2,500 square feet) as the previous location. “The good thing is the owners are willing to sell,” Jorge said.

JNS Counseling—an outpatient counseling serv- ice that does not give prescriptions—already operates a site in Brooklyn, and works closely with local doctors and police to counsel drug addiction and DWI infractions.

One board member, who voted against the plan in November, said the new location is more appropriate. She was worried that 752 Onderdonk Avenue was too residential for a counseling center, but the new location is a more commercial area with a pharmacy and car center nearby.

There were some concerns about the location’s proximity to P.S. 239. Jorge countered that their patients would not be loitering around the area and noted that a much more complex counseling center is already also nearby.

“Out of my experience, it’s going to hurt the community in any way,” Jorge said.

The proposal will go to the board’s Health and Human Services Committee. If the committee approves the proposal, it will be brought to the full board for a vote at the next meeting.

School Safety and Street Fairs Discussed at CB5

2011-02-17T10:48:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

The week before Christmas, Lillian Sheridan’s husband and son were clipped by a car at the corner of 79th Street and Penelope Av- enue. Fed up with the dangerous intersection, Sheridan is pushing for an all-way stop sign there.

“The people treat [Penelope Avenue] like NASCAR,” said parent Beth McArdle.

Sheridan and McArdle brought their concerns to the Community Board 5 meeting last Wednesday. Sheridan has also started an online petition at ipetitions.com/petition/stopsignat49/ which has already garnered 91 signatures.

Many of the comments on the petition noted that something must be done before a fatal tragedy occurs.

“Cars speed down that road to make the light on 80th Street, and they don’t have a care in the world when it comes to the children,” Sheridan said. According to Sheridan and McArdle, the problem has intensified since P.S. 49 has expanded to include grades six through eight two years ago.

McArdle noted that no new safety studies or implementa- tions were conducted after the expansion, and the problem would become worse as more students are admitted since the school is not yet at capacity.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) has been a big supporter of improving safety at the inter- section. In September 2009, she sent a letter to the city Department of Transportation (DOT) after complaints from residents about safety on Penelope Avenue and 79th Street. On January 10, 2011, she sent another request to the DOT after learning about Sheridan’s incident.

She urged the DOT to study safety at the area, “especially during school arrival and dismissal times,” and implement a traffic light or stop sign in the area.

Queens DOT representative Nathan Gray reported that the department is looking into the request. Some problems, such as cars making illegal turns, can be mitigated by police enforcement, and he has reached out to the 104th Precinct, he said. It is up to the school to decide if there should be a crossing guard at that location, and the DOT is studying if other safety measures such as a stop sign or traffic light should be installed.

Ridgewood Street Fair Stirs Debate

Seven street fairs were approved by Community Board 5, but it wasn’t without debate. The board initially presented the seven street fairs as one vote, but after some dissent, amended the proposal and held a vote for each fair. At issue was a street fair run by the Federazione Italo-Americana di Brooklyn and Queens in Ridgewood. It is scheduled to shut down Fresh Pond Road between Woodbine Street and Menahan Street for four days from September 8 through September 11.

Several Ridgewood residents on the board, including Paul Kerzner, president of the Ridgewood Local Development Corp., said shutting down Fresh Pond Road for four days is an “imposition” on residents. The residents also noted that Fresh Pond Road is one of Ridgewood’s few roads running north and south aside from Forest Avenue.

Other board members, including Bob Holden, argued that the festival should not run on September 11. As the 10th anniversary of the 2001 attacks, Holden said the 104th Precinct would be stretched thin at various commemorative events along with their normal duties. Holden argued the police would not have the time or the resources to watch over the fair.

Board Member Lucy Dolce, organizer of the fair, said, “Every penny goes back to the community.” She stressed the importance of the fair to help seniors and after school programs in the area.

Vincent Arcuri, chair of Community Board 5, also defended the fair and spoke about the Italian heritage it supports. He said the fair has been a staple in the community for 16 years.

The vote on that fair passed by slim margins, 19-16. The six other street fairs passed unanimously.

Community Board 5 will recommend allowing all seven street fairs; the city’s Community Affairs Unit will make a final decision in the coming weeks.

Final list of recommended street fairs within Community Board 5:

Sunday, April 17, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Myrtle Avenue between Wyckoff Avenue and Fresh Pond Road sponsored by the Ridge- wood Local Development Corporation
Sunday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Metropolitan Avenue between 73rd Place and 79th Street sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Glendale
Sunday, June 12, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Grand Avenue between 65th Street and 72nd Street sponsored by the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, Maspeth Lions Club and Maspeth Kiwanis Club
Sunday, August 7, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Myrtle Avenue between Forest Avenue and Fresh Pond Road sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Glendale
Thursday, September 8 through Saturday, September 10, from 5:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. and Sunday, September 11, from 2 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Fresh Pond Road between Woodbine Street and Menahan Street sponsored by the Federazione Italo-Americana di Brooklyn and Queens
Sunday, September 18, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Myrtle Avenue between Wyckoff Avenue and Fresh Pond Road sponsored by the Myr- tle Avenue Business Improvement District
Sunday, September 25, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Grand Avenue between 69th Street and 72nd Street sponsored by the Maspeth Lions Club and Boy Scouts of America

This Week's Forum South and West

2011-02-10T12:15:00.001-05:00

West Hamilton Beach Installs Officers

2011-02-10T12:11:00.001-05:00

By Patricia Adams

Officers were sworn in last Thursday evening at the West Hamilton Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Corps' 83rd Annual Installation at Russo’s on the Bay. One of the evenings honorees was community resident Tina Palmiotto, who lost her 16-year-old son John in a car crash in November 2005.

Tina created a scholarship fund in her son’s memory at the Robert F. Wagner Junior Secondary School in Long Island City, where John was a student. Over the last three years the fund has awarded more than $15,000 to students who are deemed “most improved” from grades 9-12. Now, because of the suc- cess of the program, it will become available in other schools as well. “John would have been so happy to see this,” said Tina. “These kids are so thankful for the chance the scholarship gives them.

Councilman Eric Ulrich was sworn in as an honorary fire marshal at the event and was presented with a plaque and a West Hamilton Fire Department jacket.

No one would argue that one of the evening’s highlights came with the installation of Joseph M. Vasquezaldana as Chief of the Department. The sixyear member was sworn in by a former department chief, twenty-seven year member Joseph Vasquezaldana—his father. The very emotional moment represented the first time in department history that a father and son have both served as chief.

Speakers at the event relayed the immediate need to raise money for a new ambulance. Following the most recent ice storm on Tuesday night, February 2, the corps responded to a two-vehicle accident on the Belt Parkway. Upon arrival, two members of the corps got out of the ambulance to assist when they noticed a car bearing down on the ambulance.

Both members were struck by the front of the ambulance when the out-of-control vehicle slammed into the back of the unit.

The department has two ambulances, one from 1995 that is regularly used for night calls, and the newer one, which is a 2008. Unfortunately, the older unit was in the repair shop and the newer ambulance was left with serious damage. According to department officials, it will cost $125,000 for a new ambulance.

Rising to the occasion, long-time benefactor of the department, attorney D. Marjorie Centrone, punctuated her speech with the presentation of a personal check for $5,000 to start off the new ambulance fund.

Centrone not only wrote a personal check for $5,000, she vowed to help the department raise the rest of the funds. Within minutes after the announcement that the fund had officially begun, Pastor Baum of St. Barnabas Church in Howard Beach approached Marge and passed along a handwritten note promising yet another $5,000 from the church.

Please check for future updates in The Forum as to how you can help with the ambulance fund.

Kiwanis Honor Slain Son

2011-02-10T12:09:00.001-05:00

Howard Beach Kiwanis members present Nick Beneduce with a check in memory of his son Jonathan Joseph Beneduce, who was killed in New Jersey in February 2010. At his father’s request, the check was made out to Jonathan’s favorite charity, Birthright Israel.

Nick has also received checks from other friends and family in memory of Jonathan and is asking anyone who would like to help keep his son’s memory alive to make a check out to Birthright Israel and mail to Nick Beneduce, P.O. Box 140082, Howard Beach, NY 11414.

Nick will be presenting checks on the one year anniversary of his son's death.

911 Dispatch System Under Fire

2011-02-10T12:02:00.001-05:00

Every second counts for the FDNY when responding to fires such as the 2009 Woodhaven blaze that destroyed several homes.

By David J. Harvey

New York’s 911 system is under City Council scrutiny amid allegations from fire fighter unions that the city’s claims of lower response times are exaggerated while the Unified Call Taking system (UCT)—the city’s new cen- tralized emergency dispatch—has been blamed for sending firefighters to the wrong address during hundreds of cases.

During hearings in December 2009, City Council members investigated whether miscommunication was risking New Yorkers’ lives. More recently, a joint-committee hearing held on February 1 by three council members focused on dangerous mistakes and inaccurate response times.

According to Congresswoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), Chair of the Fire and Criminal Justice Committee, 911 dispatchers—who are police officers—have sent fire units to the wrong address at least 590 separate times since the launch of UCT. Two of the most notorious incidents left six dead: a father and two children at St. Marks Place in Brooklyn, and three more in Woodside.

“We cannot forget the back to back mistakes under the UCT where fire units were dispatched to the wrong addresses, sent in the wrong direction,” Crowley said at the hearing last week.

In the Woodside incident, in November 2009, dispatcher error was blamed on firefighters slow response. Responders were sent to 62nd Street rather than 65th Street. It wasn’t clear whether the residents of the illegally subdivided home could have been saved by the additional time, but at least one anonymous firefighter at the scene told the New York Times he thought at least one person would have been saved.

The mistake was used heavily in arguments that NYPD dispatchers were not as prepared to handle fire calls, and that FDNY should have a place in the UCT dispatch system. After a battle to get trained fire dispatchers back into fray, the city revamped UCT procedure—trained fire dispatchers joined fire-related reports via conference call as of November 24, 2009. Since then, the number of reported mistakes has decreased.

The City Council is also investigating why the UCT system has failed to handle heavy traffic, since it was originally proposed because of the overloaded 911 system on September 11, 2001. During the heavy storms last September and December, the UCT system crashed.

But this isn’t a new development either. The system crashed during a heat wave this past summer and part of the system had also crashed inexplicably for several hours on November 17 and 18, 2009, preventing the NYPD dispatchers from communicating with firefighters.

“The City Council has listened to testimony from New Yorkers in every borough who waited too long for 911 to answer their call,” Crowley said. “My primary concern ... is that we are investing billions of taxpayer dollars on a new system that does not seem to be working and is supposed to replace a system that was never broken.”

Timely Response

Under the UCT system, emergency response times are at an all time low, but union leaders say the numbers are misleading.

Pre-UCT, a 911 dispatcher would immediately transfer the caller once the nature of the emergency was determined. In the case of fire, a trained fire dispatcher would take over and the response clock would start.

UCT dispatchers now handle all the information taking—meant to reduce redundan- cies in the old system as well as response times—then send an alert to the appropriate fire station. Reported response times under UCT are lower than the previous system.

An FDNY spokesperson said the procedure for recording response time has not changed, but Uniformed Firefighter Association President Stephen J. Cassidy said the lack of change is the problem.

Cassidy said in a statement posted last year on the UFA website that the time the original dispatcher—the period not included in the official response time—rose from an average of five seconds in the old system to an aver- age of one minute and 15 seconds with UCT.

“Response times under the UCT have gone up, not down, as the city contends,” he said. “The City's deliberately false statistics are part of an attempt to justify closing firehouses.”

Cassidy also said that fire dispatchers averaged 45 seconds—included in the response time—to glean the same information from a caller. He said the UCT dispatchers, which are police officers, do not have the proper training in dealing with fire emergencies.

The response times were also a heavy focus of the Council hearings.

“This 911-system upgrade has proven to be flawed, unreliable and dangerous—and New Yorkers are paying the price,” Crowley said. “The one thing the UCT system has succeeded in doing is spinning emergency response times to justify budget cuts to the FDNY.”

Meanwhile, the Mayor’s 2011 budget once again proposes cutting up to 60 fire stations throughout the city, but an additional $286 million toward emergency communications was requested in January.

Spending Spree Ended

The broader Emergency Communications Transformation Program (ECTP)—which includes the UCT system—is budgeted as a $1.8 billion project and has been under development for nearly a decade. So far, the Mayor’s administration has spent roughly $650 million. Originally, the plan was to create two redundant sites for ECTP and UCT—the existing one in Brooklyn, and a second in the Bronx—at a cost of $360 million.

On January 3, City Comptroller John C. Liu denied a request from the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) for an additional $286 million more to open the Bronx site. Along with denying the request for funding, Liu notified the DoITT on January 12 that he was opening a full audit into the ECTP.

“This contract would open the door to excessive spending,” said a City Comptroller spokesperson Mike Loughran.

In a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Liu pressed for the Mayor to give attention to ECTP as his office reviews what went wrong with CityTime, which was the center of a massive fraud investigation last year.

“Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith is now undertaking a comprehensive review of the City's major technology projects, beginning with CityTime, to see why certain things were missed and to make sure that additional measures or safety nets are installed to prevent waste and fraud,” Liu wrote. “The ECTP project should rank high in priority for his review to head off even more severe problems.”

Learning from the Mistakes of the 2010 Blizzard

2011-02-10T12:00:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

Weather forecasts predict clear skies, snow has been largely removed from streets and trash collection has resumed, but the cleanup is far from over across the city.

Snow took a heavy toll on the city’s finances. The December storm alone cost the city more than $38 million.

On Monday, February 7, alternate side parking enforcement resumed, and the city issued 9,910 tickets—twice the daily average—expected to collect at least $500,000 in fines.

Additionally, the City Council is planning to introduce a package of snow related legislation. The new bills will include regulations that require the city to authorize a snow emergency when forecasters predict a blizzard, to open the emergency operations center before the first snowfall and to designate a “cleanup” official for each borough.

The City Council legislation would also require the city to publish a list that ranks streets as primary, secondary or tertiary, the designations that determine plowing priority.

But recouping expenses and legislating weather responses aren’t the only post-snow priorities.

Another of the bills would require increased use of 311 during storms. The Sanitation Department, which faced the brunt of complaints during the unprecedented snowfall, is looking to do more than return to business as normal.

According to the Division of Customer Service and Government Relations office, Sanitation is working to improve two-way communication through 311.

Director of Customer Relations Henry Ehrhardt said, “There is no middle man, 311 puts it right in our system and it goes right to the Sanitation garage to be taken care of.”

The city is also eager for residents to receive training on how to use the system. In a conversation with Ed Wendell, of the Woodhaven Residents Block Association, about his effort to organize Block Captains throughout his neighborhood, Ehrhardt discussed feedback from the department to residents. The Block Captains were organized to pass information—such as lists of unplowed streets—up the chain of command to City Council representatives and their community board, both of which recommend residents call 311.

“When you give information to several different places it can be hard to track, and you’re duplicating efforts, sometimes it’s hard to get back to the source,” said Ehrhardt.

He added that he and Wendell had discussed using the Block Captain network to help train residents on how to report and find information more efficiently.

“We have been regularly posting information on our website on the status of snow removal and trash collection, there’s more information available,” he said. “The ultimate answer is to let the folks know the most effective way and how they can track the individual service requests that they make.”

Walmart Debate Rages On

2011-02-10T11:56:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Opposing rallies were held outside City Hall last Thursday as the City Council held hearings over the possibility of a New York City Walmart. A project the size of a typical Walmart store would require City Council approval, but Walmart is reportedly looking at smaller lots—notably the Gateway II plaza in East New York—which would not require zoning approvals.

Walmart representatives did not attend the meeting, leaving stones thrown by politicians unmatched.

“Walmart’s absence and refusal to attend only leads me to further skepticism about them as a company,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio echoed Quinn’s complaints and added, “Walmart’s record is clear: they have eliminated more jobs than they created by driving small businesses out of town and they are contributing to the decline of the middle class by instituting poverty level wages for familes. What’s good for Walmart isn’t good for New York City.”

Critics of Walmart claim the chain hurts small businesses. In 2009, the Center for Urban Research and Learning at Loyola Uni- versity of Chicago studied the effects of a Walmart opening in Chicago. The researchers found the store cost the neighborhood 300 jobs and no economic benefits were found.

“These estimates support the contention that large-city Walmarts absorb retail sales from other city stores without significantly expanding the market,” the report stated.

Walmart sent a letter to the Council about their absence: “Since we have not announced a store for New York City, I respectfully suggest the committee first conduct a thoughtful examination of the existing impact of large grocers and retailers on small businesses in New York City before embarking on a hypothetical exercise.”

Walmart executives contend that the Council is holding them to a different standard from other big box retailers such as Target and Costco.

The company has started an extensive public relations campaign stating their case. A poll conducted by Douglas E. Schoen, LLC showed that 71% of New Yorkers support a Walmart within the city. The company has also ramped up television and radio ads, and it launched a website, WalmartNYC.com, to publicize the benefits of a store in the city.

Included on the site are endorsements from many political figures, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

“You should let the marketplace decide,” Bloomberg said. “[Anytime anyone] has tried to manage the marketplace, it has not turned out very well. I think the Soviet Union is as good an example as you’d ever need of that.”

Another endorsement from Eduardo Giraldo, vice president of the Queens Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, states “You’ve got Duane Reade, Costco, Target, CVS, T.J. Maxx, Staples. ... If Walmart wants to move in, let it compete. This is America. It’s a free enterprise.”

Locally, Councilmember Eric Ulrich (R- Ozone Park) has said Walmart deserves to be in the city.
“Walmart wants to come here and provide union construction jobs and permanent positions that offer pay wages equal to or higher than many of their competitors, and allow people to save substantially on their grocery bills,” Ulrich said. “Why should my constituents—many of whom are on fixed incomes—pay more for a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread? It’s not the job of politicians or special interest groups, especially in today’s economy, to block economic development.”

Still, some believe economic development seems unlikely if a Walmart opened its doors in the city.

“Small businesses in my neighborhood would be in a lot of trouble if Walmart moved in,” said Nelson Eusabio, owner of Compare Supermarkets, which operates several stores in Queens including one on Liberty Avenue. “Walmart would lead to more shuttered stores and fewer job opportunities. That’s a price New Yorkers can’t afford.”

Council Extends Smoking Ban to Public Parks, Plazas and Beaches

2011-02-10T11:53:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun
In 2002, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed the Smoke Free Air Act, which prohibited smoking in nearly all public indoor areas in the city. Last week, the City Council amended the legislation to include the city’s parks, beaches and other public places to the no-smoking list.

The bill passed the Council by a 36-12 vote and is expected to be signed into law by Bloomberg meaning it will go into law in 90 days. The bill’s supporters said this will pre-vent litter in parks and beaches and prevent exposure to secondhand smoke.

Under the new legislation, smoking would be prohibited at parks, beaches, pools, recreation centers and all buildings and facilities operated by the Parks Department. It also extends to the city Department of Transportation’s pedestrian plazas.

Sidewalks immediately ad- joining parks, squares and public places, pedestrian routes that are adjacent to vehicular traffic and parking lots are exempted from the ban. “Recent studies, and studies over the years, have shown that secondhand smoke can have a harmful impact,” said Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village). “Public smoking is not just a risk people take on themselves, it is a risk that impacts everyone around them. This new law will make sure that smoking is prohibited in public parks and beaches, areas where our youngest New Yorkers gather.”

Critics, however, said the bill was too intrusive and impinged on civil liberties. “While I understand the health concerns that prompted the introduction of this bill, it is nothing more than another example of gov- ernment intruding into the private lives of New Yorkers,” said Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park). “Whether we like it or not smokers pay taxes and they have rights too. We need to be mindful of the fact that we’re infringing on the rights and freedoms of everyday residents who are not breaking the law.”

The Parks Department is responsible for enforcement and can issue fines of $50.

Babysitter Convicted for Drowning Death of Baby

2011-02-10T11:50:00.001-05:00

On June 15, 2009, neighbors were shocked as rescue workers carried a lifeless baby boy out of Krystal Khan’s Ozone Park home, which doubled as a daycare center. On Tuesday, Khan, 30, was convicted of reckless assault of a child by a child daycare provider and endangering the welfare of a child.

Before the incident most neighbors felt she did a good job taking care of children.

“This is all very upsetting. I checked this place out for my own child about two years ago,” neighbor Billy Caires told The Forum in June 2009. Caires said the house seemed to be clean and in order.

According to trial testimony, on the morning of June 15, 2009, Khan took Nyquil before being entrusted with the care of 11-month-old James Farrior—even though she knew Nyquil causes drowsiness. It was further alleged that Khan kept a bucket with around six inches of water unattended in the kitchen.

Khan then fell asleep, leaving Farrior and her own three and four-year-old sons alone. Later in the morning, her four-year-old child woke her up, and Khan discovered the baby drowned in the bucket of water.

“As a caregiver with sole responsibility for the life and safety of a young child, the defendant had an obligation to provide a safe environment, to be vigilant and to stay with that child at all times,” said Brown. “The defendant must now live the rest of her life knowing that by failing to act responsibly her actions resulted in the death of a child and robbed that child’s parents of seeing their baby grow up.”

Khan faces up to four years in prison, and sentencing is scheduled for March 28.

Ridgewood Home to Some of City's Worst Buildings

2011-02-10T11:43:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Landlords can make a tenant’s life miserable. Violations that are ignored, such as mold and vermin can transform a nice apartment into a potentially dangerous living situation. The city Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is using a 2008 program to put pressure on landlords and owners to fix their buildings.

The Alternate Enforcement Program (AEP) was signed into law in 2007, and since 2008, the HPD targets the city’s 200 worst multifamily buildings. This year, the program was amended to include more buildings with more than 20 units.

The HPD released their list of the 200 worst buildings of 2011 last Thursday. Seven properties in Queens were included—four are in Ridgewood:

18-21 Cornelia Street
555 Fairview Avenue
17-36 Greene Avenue
10-48 Wyckoff Avenue

“We call these the ‘worst’ buildings for a reason,” said HPD Commissioner Rafael Cestero. “For the families who call these ‘Terrible 200’ buildings home, the conditions pose a real threat to health and safety—not only to the tenants, but to the neighborhood as a whole.”

At 18-21 Cornelia Street, a three-story building with six units, there are 127 open violations. These include the proper termination of bed bugs and roaches on the third floor, obstruction of fire escapes, missing or broken carbon monoxide detectors and lead paint violations.

The building at 555 Fairview Avenue, a two-story building with four units, has 79 open violations. A sample of these violations include a water leak on the ceiling of a first floor bathroom, lead paint, no hot water for the first floor and a foul odor emanating from the cellar.

There are five violations open at 17-36 Greene Avenue, a two-story building with four units, mostly from lead-based paint concerns.

And at 10-48 Wyckoff Avenue, a three-story building with three units, there are 35 open violations. There is an uncapped radiator on the first floor and a disconnected radiator on the second floor. It has also been cited for a defective wood floor and missing smoke detectors.

Buildings with more than 20 units are eligible to be entered in the AEP if they have three or more open hazardous or immediately hazardous violations per unit and owed the city $5,000 or more from the HPD’s Emergency Repair Program (ERP). The ERP allows the city to correct hazardous conditions in build- ings and charge the owners for the work.

Buildings of between three and 20 units must possess five or more hazardous violations per unit and ERP charges of $2,500 or more.

According to the HPD, the 200 buildings combined owe the city $2.9 million in ERP charges.
For a building to be removed from the list, owners must, within four months, fix their violations and pay the city for any repairs under the ERP. If the building is not in compliance within four months, the HPD can fix the buildings at its discretion.

The four buildings are within Community Board 5, and District Manager Gary Giordano questioned if the city has enough power to force building owners to comply.

“Four months is a long time for necessary repairs, especially if it’s a plumbing, roof or electrical repair,” Giordano said.

Giordano said the vast majority of landlords want to keep their property in good standing,
but the board has received its fair share of problematic landlords. “In certain situations, the landlord seems to be milking the building for rent money. But some don’t have the financial wherewithal to fix the situation,” he said.

Meanwhile, tenants of the four Ridgewood buildings will have to wait and hope that their owners take the AEP designation seriously.

Ty Calderwood, who works for Harry Horrowitz, the property manager of 18-21 Cor- nelia Street, said the company is working to correct the issues. He noted that the property is in foreclosure and that they inherited many problems slowing the repair process.

“Ninety percent of repairs are done,” Calderwood said.

CTK Math Team Ranks #1

2011-02-10T11:41:00.001-05:00

Christ the King Regional High School is ranked number one among religious high schools and 15 out of more than 200 competing public and private institutions in the New York State Mathematics League. Senior Christina Marino is one of 26 students with a perfect score. The team moderator Mr. Richard Hartman noted, “I show them original ways of looking at problems, so I try to make it fun.” Mr. Hartman also holds an annual contest to see who can recite Pi to 1,000 places.

(l-r) Christ the King Math Club Moderator Richard Hartman, far left, and Principal Peter Mannarino stands proudly with Math team members Makita Ellis, left, Pulkit Arora, Christina Marino, Juliana Daxland, Peter Ciavarella and Nikolina Dabovic.

Fund Allocates Millions for Green Projects: Shows Model for Future Initiatives

2011-02-10T11:39:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

In the summer of 2006, blackouts in Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside persisted for weeks and left more than 100,000 residents without power. As a result of the subsequent outrage, Con Edison reached an $8 million settlement with community groups to fund green initiatives.

North Star Fund, a nonprofit organization that supports grassroots campaigns, teamed up with the Western Queens Power for the People campaign, which formed as a result of the power outages, to distribute the funds.

Fifteen groups were selected to receive grant money, and the affected neighborhoods can expect to see more trees, environmental programs and green jobs.

Hugh Hogan, North Star Fund’s Executive Director, said it is important to fund these green initiatives, especially in Western Queens. “Currently, Western Queens has among the lowest amounts of green space of any neighborhood in New York City—only 2 percent compared to a citywide av- erage of 14 percent,” he said.

After several meetings with community groups, Hogan gained an understanding of the residents’ vision for greening their neighborhoods. As an added bonus, there was a significant amount of money to turn the vision into a reality.

“Sometimes you have a great vision, but the resources aren’t always there. It’s exciting to have the funds for the vision and create a greener place to live,” Hogan said.

Among the grant recipients is the City Parks Foundation, which will work with community groups to plant up to 850 trees in the area. The Sunnyside Gardens Community Association was also selected to plant trees outside of Sunnyside Gardens park.

But Hogan said the Greening Western Queens initiative was more than planting trees; Teaching young residents about the importance of living a more environmentally friendly life is just as important. The Recycle-A-Bicycle program will create a center to teach kids about bike repair and promote the importance of bike riding. Solar One will partner with the city’s Education Department to create a Green Design Lab in eight public schools. These labs will teach children about sustainable energy and provide them with the op- portunity to make their own schools more energy efficient.

These programs and community activism are a great model for similar projects in other neighborhoods, Hogan said. He hopes the work Western Queens Power for the People and the North Star Fund inspires other communities to action.

“We’re trying to create a model for how communities can transform themselves,” Hogan said. He added that the work with other departments like the City Parks Foundation could be replicated throughout the city.

Aviators Hockey Heats Up

2011-02-10T11:37:00.001-05:00

As New York City was being buried by snow throughout January, the New York Aviators of the Federal Hockey League (FHL) buried 10 consecutive opponents with a barrage of goals, stellar goaltending and physical play. In fact, beginning with the A’s December 30 victory over Danbury, they are riding a 14-game winning streak and a 18-2 home record at the Aviator Sports & Event Center on Flatbush Ave., in Brooklyn.

Here are a few of the highlights of the A’s undefeated (10-0) January: scored 44 goals and allowed 14 goals; registered 364 shots on goal; 10 game winning goals from seven dif- ferent players including three from Jesse Fel- ten; Matt Punutreri led club with 21 pts and 13 assists; Felten lead the team with with 9 goals for the month; five different A's tallied double-digits points; goalie Kevin Druce went 8-0 1.85 GAA, 1 SO, .938 SV%.

The performance was especially impressive as two of the A’s top players, defenseman David Inman and forward Mike Thompson, were called-up to Elmira and Wheeling of the ECHL during January.

The streak has moved the A’s have into third place, seven points ahead of Danbury, just five points behind 1000 Island and 10 points behind Akwesasne. The top four teams qualify for the FHL playoffs.

The Aviators have three games this week: Feb 11 at 7:05 pm vs Cape Cod at Aviator and then a pair of games on Feb 12 and Feb 13 at Danbury. Tickets are still available by visiting newyorkaviators.com or by calling 718-758-7580.

Tax Preparer Convicted

2011-02-10T11:35:00.001-05:00

As people rush to file their taxes, they should keep in mind that not all accountants and tax services are legitimate. Jean Tout-Puissant, 51, of Queens Village was sentenced to up to seven years in prison for his involvement in an identity fraud scheme.

According to District Attorney Richard Brown, Tout-Puissant, a tax preparer, used personal information from his client Louis Beaujuin to fraudulently open several business accounts in 2007. These accounts were used for Tout-Puissant’s bar, El Millenium Pub in Queens Village.
Tout-Puissant applied for credit cards under Beaujuin’s name and withdrew $200,000 in cash advances to make purchases at restaurants and shops, such as Victoria’s Secret, Brown said.
Beaujuin became suspicious when he received bills that did not correspond to any accounts he was aware of. Beaujuin was retired and living off small Social Security benefits at the time.

Brown warned residents that these crimes are easy to fall prey too, especially during this time of year.

“As we enter tax season, all consumers should be very careful as to whom they entrust their most intimate financial details—such as names, date of births and social security numbers,” Brown said. “Such information is worth more than money to an individual intent on committing fraud and could cause a consumer financial headache for years to come.”

Immigrants who implicitly trust members of their own communities are at an increased risk, Brown added. Beajuin and Tout-Puissant were both Haitian.

Tout-Puissant was convicted of multiple counts of grand larceny, first-degree identity theft and first-degree falsifying business records.

Undercover Sting Busts Credit, Gift Card Scheme

2011-02-10T11:33:00.001-05:00

Criminals beware. It’s usually not a good idea to try fraudulent schemes in the same building as the Queens District Attorney’s office. Two Brooklyn men were charged with attempting to use stolen credit cards to purchase thousands of dollars worth of Duane Reade gift cards in Kew Gardens, which shares a building with the DA.

“The defendants could not have made it any easier for the investigators involved in the undercover operation to effectuate their arrest,” Brown said, noting how the arrests occurred right outside of his office.

According to District Attorney Richard Brown, two Duane Reade employees were contacted via Facebook to assist them in using stolen credit cards for gift card purchases. “Do U wanna make 300 a week while @ work,” the messages read. “I want [you] 2 ring me up as I buy gift cards on credit gwap [a street term for illegal credit cards].”

The employees alerted their manager who contacted the DA. At the direction of the State Police, the employee told the suspect—identified on Facebook as Carlos Escobar Bigante but later identified as Carl Dupiton, 21—that he knew a friend who could help him.

The friend, an undercover investigator, allegedly had multiple phone conversations with the man where he allegedly said they would spend as much as $3,000 a day on gift cards.

The undercover investigator allegedly set up a meeting on February 1, 2011, at the Kew Gardens store where a man matching Carlos Escobar Bigante’s Facebook picture arrived. Bigante allegedly left the store and a second suspect, Garry Rey, 22, allegedly approached the undercover investigator and stated he was part of the plot.

Rey proceeded to use more than 10 different credit cards to purchase Ebay and Paypal gift cards, but only the first transaction for $404 was accepted, Brown said.

Rey left the store where he was arrested along with Dupiton. Police allegedly recovered 18 gift cards with a value of $3,350, as well as the credit and debit cards he had purportedly used in the store.

Rey was ordered held without bail, and bail for Dupiton was set at $150,000. Both men face charges of criminal possession of a forged instrument, grand larceny, commercial bribing, petit larceny and scheme to defraud. They face up to seven years in prison if convicted.

State Police Superintendent Joseph D’Amico praised the Duane Reade employees who helped them with their undercover operation. “The early reporting by Duane Reade Pharmacy’s employees of the scheme ... was key to this arrest operation,” D’Amico said. “This shows the importance of the public’s role in assisting law enforcement in efforts to prevent this and other types of fraud.”

This Week's Forum South and West

2011-02-03T12:04:00.001-05:00

Water Main Break Leaves Residents Without Water

2011-02-03T12:02:00.001-05:00

By Patricia Adams

A water main broke on Saturday at the corner of 99th Street and 160th Avenue in Howard Beach and went unrepaired into Sunday morning leaving some area residents without water for about nine hours.

The break was reported to DEP through 311 by residents. “The water was shut off with no notice,” one resident told The Forum. Lisa, who lives with her family across the street from Charles Park said water service went down after 3:30 p.m Sunday and was restored around midnight.

According to officials, no notice was given to the residents about the shut off because it was an emergency situation. “The DEP’s priority was to get the water off and prevent dangerous icing conditions in the freezing temperatures,” said Betty Braton, chair of Community Board 10.

Water service was shut off to the area surrounding the break and crews worked from early Sunday morning to remove mounds of snow and ice in order to locate turnoff valves.

The break was repaired and service to approximately 100 homes affected was restored by the end of Sunday night.

From Austria to Forest Hills: Woman Celebrates 101 Eventful Years

2011-02-03T11:59:00.001-05:00

By Patricia Adams

For most of us, living to celebrate our 101st birthday would be extraordinary enough. But for Forest Hills resident Regina Schilling Mittler, the number of years she has lived is just a fractional part of how extraordinary her life has truly been.

Born in Lemberg (then part of the Austrian Empire) on February 2, 1910, her mother was a concert violinist and her father a conductor. Much of her early childhood was spent in Czernowitz, where her aunt lived, while her par- ents were off on busy concert schedules.

Regina’s life would go on to be punctuated and shaped not only by the arts and culture, but also by one of the most tumultuous times in world history. It included hardship and struggle as early as her fourth birthday few of us ever encounter. It was 1914, World War I was underway, and Regina’s mother -- away on tour when all railroad connections to the Austrian Empire were severed -- had no way back to her beloved child.

Regina remained in Czernowitz under the care of a nanny for more than four years until 1918, when she was finally reunited with her mother. They travelled together to Vienna, and despite the fact that Regina was mal- nourished, she managed to escape the influenza epidemic that was spreading though the world.

In keeping with the family’s love of music, Regina was provided with piano lessons with a local teacher and within five years, she earned a full scholarship to the Vienna Conservatory. She was just 13 years old.

She continued on at the Conservatory, graduating with honors before passing the Austrian Music Teachers Exam. During her time at the school, Regina sang with the famed Arbeiter Chorus and attended the Vienna debuts of noted musicians Vladamir Horowitz, Bela Bartok and Marion Anderson. Following her graduation, Regina continued on at the conservatory as a staff accompanist and taught privately.

Regina was working as a piano teacher in Austria at the end of WWI, following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was 1938 and demands for the union of Austria and Germany increased after Adolf Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany.

The German army occupied Austria on March 13th, and one day later, while she was giving a piano lesson, Regina got a phone call from her mother after the Gestapo had come looking for her. She had been a counselor in a summer youth camp run by the Social Democratic Party and now the Nazis were arresting anyone with a known association to the party.

When Regina hung up the phone she knew that her life—if she weren’t killed—had changed forever. She left the home of her stu- dent and immediately began her life in hiding. She moved from friend to friend for more than a year—hiding in basements and any other safe location available, sneaking around the streets when necessary. She waited for help from people with access to the American Embassy as they searched for her immigration number needed to secure her travel visa.

One day while walking past the American Embassy, Regina and her friends were approached by an official who asked them if they wanted to immigrate to America. Regina submitted an application, which was approved on her birthday in 1939. Her cousin Laura’s employer provided her with an affidavit and funds to buy a ticket to New York. She arrived in New York in March. She had escaped the Nazi’s and was safe.

In New York Regina visited Steinway Hall to receive a piano from a refugee relief agency, and there she ran into the composer and pianist Franz Mittler, a fellow refugee, with whom she had studied in the early 1930s. They grew increasingly close and got married in December of 1939.

In September 1943 the couple moved to Kew Gardens where Regina lived for 45 years until moving to her present apartment in Forest Hills in 1989. They had one child, Diana, who is still caring for her mother today.

Regina was interviewed and appeared in the film documentary “Last Stop, Kew Gardens” which was broadcast on PBS Channel 21 in 2008. After her retirement Regina devoted much time to reading and travel. Since 2008 she lives at home assisted by her 24-hour home attendants Rina Soldevilla and Virginia Martinez.

Atlas Park Sold: Owner of Queens Center Mall Involved in Purchase

2011-02-03T11:56:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

The Shops at Atlas Park was sold at auction on January 28 at Queens County Supreme Court, and the buyer will soon take ownership. The winning $53.7 million bid for the property was submitted by a newly-formed group called WMAP, LLC.

Little is yet known about WMAP, apparently formed for the purchase, except that Walton Street Capital, a Chicago based investment firm, is a member. Walton Street Managing Principal Eric Mogentale said the company does not publicly comment on its investments. Macerich, the owners of Queens Center Mall, will be in charge of managing the shops at Atlas Park after the sale is complete on February 28.

Atlas Park, formerly owned by the Hemmerdinger family, had been under foreclosure for nearly two years. The financier, Société Générale, was still owed $119 million at the time of the sale. The Hemmerdingers had created Atlas Park, LLC for the original property purchase and can’t be held person- ally liable for the balance of the debt owed on the mall.

The sale is expected to close within 30 days of the auction and will leave Société Générale at a significant loss. Société Générale spokesperson Jim Galvin did not return a request for comment.

According to auction referee Denis Cap- pello, the opening bid of $50 million came from a group that had partnered with the bank, which had revealed Société Générale’s willingness to sell for much lower than the debt owed.

“If the bank was going to say listen, we want $119 million or we’re just going to take it over ourselves a lot of people would probably just walk away,” he said. “When they started at $50 million, I was somewhat surprised that they were willing to go that low.”

Cappello said he had expected the bidding to reach up to $70 million, and that there would be more bidders. After the opening bid, Capello set the bidding increment at $250,000 and only two parties—the one partnered with the bank and WMAP—went back and forth up to $53.7 million.
“When we got past $53 million and I had to start closing the bidding, I was surprised,” he said.
While there remains uncertainty about the future of the Glendale shopping center, the
involvement of Macerich was seen as a promising sign.

Additionally, Walton Street has been heavily investing in mall properties. In June 2010, Walton Street set up a $300 million refinancing for a mall property in Colorado it originally invested in back in 1999, The Streets at SouthGlenn, an open-air town square-style mall with joint residential properties. In December, Walton Street purchased the Simi Valley Town Center in California, which came with a $112 million mortgage.

Walton Street Managing Principal Neil G. Bluhm told the New York Times in 2009 that his firm was prepared to begin heavy investment in the Northeast and in California. He said the recession had caused a lull in real-estate speculation, but that he planned to spend $1.5 billion over the next few years on property in Boston, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Bluhm said he hopes for annual returns of 20 percent.

Currently, the struggling Atlas Park has no such potential. Kathy Masi of the Glendale Civic Association said the community is thrilled that Atlas Park finally has an owner, and welcomes the connections to the more successful Queens Center Mall. Masi said she hopes the success of Queens Center will come to Atlas Park under dual management. Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, who has worked to bring new life to Atlas Park for years, said she is looking forward to revitalizing Glendale’s shopping mall.

“The community welcomes the new leadership with open arms and is eager to help Atlas become an engine for economic growth. I will be meeting with Macerich this week and other stakeholders including civic groups in the coming weeks and months to make sure this shopping center works with the community and the residents I represent."

Cappello also said he is eager to see Atlas Park transformed. He said his wife often shops at Atlas Park, and the night before the auction, they ate at the mall’s California Pizza Kitchen.
“In this business we get caught up in the numbers, but when I see a closed store over there and that the people who worked there lost their jobs, it’s a concern. Living in the area, I would like to see it move along and see better times.”

Woodhaven Hopes to Melt Frozen Emergency Communications

2011-02-03T11:53:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

With record levels of snowfall in January, the city has struggled to coordinate street plowing, garbage pick-up and parking issues. Meanwhile, the web of complaints to Sanit tion during the snowstorms hasn’t seemed to have much impact—prompting one community group to try and streamline city-wide emergency reporting.

Trash continues to stagnate and many streets in Queens are still suffering diminished parking capacity. Piles of snow separat- ing streets and sidewalks impede deliveries, including those of heating oil, and block the view of drivers at intersections.

“On the corners you see mountains of snow and you can’t see past those corners, you’re going into the street blind,” Howie Kamp, of the Ozone Park Civic Association, said.

Local civic leader Tony Nunziato said he’s seen city workers plowing already clear streets and truck drivers taking side streets to avoid snow only to find themselves stuck.

“Once you don’t do something right, then it spreads.” Nunziato said. “When one thing fails, it just continues.”

Residents reporting snow issues in their neighborhoods can call 311, their local community groups, the local Community Board office or elected officials. All of those groups report to each other, as well as to the Mayor’s office and to the local Sanitation Department office.

Ed Wendell, president of the Woodhaven Residents Block Association, said even with all the avenues for reporting snow conditions, the city seemed overwhelmed.

“Problems were being reported to our elected officials, to the Mayor’s office, to our Community Board, and each one in turn was telling us they were reported to Sanitation, but it just didn’t seem to be getting done.”

So while the snow piled up, the WRBA began an effort to decongest the complaint pipeline to Sanitation.

After the first snowstorm in December, the WRBA revived the old tradition of “Block Captains” to help compile reports about conditions in the neighborhood. Wendell said he wanted to find a way to get a comprehensive report using a grassroots network.

“After the Christmas storm, a lot of people were blasting the city saying, ‘hey we were forgotten,’” Wendell said. “We wanted to take a different approach.”

The WRBA began using Facebook and Twitter to reach residents, but Wendell said this approach was too sporadic. He decided to use residents on each street to help the WRBA report conditions to Community Board 9 and the area’s two elected city officials, Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village).

“If [the block captains] can go out on their porch and look up and down their street they can tell us what conditions are, not just in a snowstorm.” Wendell said. “In a state of emergency we can put together some real comprehensive information telling them, ‘here, these are the conditions on the ground.’”

Despite high hopes for the network, Wendell said the city is still slow to respond.

During the last January storm, which ended early Thursday morning, Wendell collected reports from his captains and sent out a report before noon. By 4 p.m., the majority of streets had not been touched. He reported conditions again, leaving out plowed streets. On Friday, 16 roads were still unplowed.

“We’re reporting this information but I don’t think they’re very good at doing follow
ups,” Wendell said. “I don’t think Sanitation is very good at giving us any metrics on what’s been plowed or not.”

“They have no idea what they touch and what they don’t,” he added.

The Sanitation Department has announced plans to outfit every plow with a radio to improve communication, and Wendell said Mayor Bloomberg’s office had expressed interest in the WRBA’s Block Captain system. Wendell said he worries that the city is overwhelmed, and hopes to see the Block Captain approach catch on.

“If our elected officials are swamped with calls, I can only imagine how Sanitation is,” Wendell said.

By the end of January, the WRBA had 25 percent of Woodhaven streets covered by Block Captains. Wendell said the WRBA will continue signing up captains until it has 100 percent of the neighborhood covered.

Cuomo Promises Massive Cuts to 2011-2012 Budget

2011-02-03T11:50:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his executive budget on Tuesday, which he promised will “set our state on a new path toward prosperity.”

Cuomo preached fiscal responsibility and promised reduced spending during his campaign last November. He said the new pro- posed budget would eliminate New York’s projected four year deficit of $64.6 billion by 86 percent without raising taxes.

The key component to Cuomo’s plan is cutting spending for numerous agencies including education and healthcare.

“We simply cannot afford to keep spending at our current rate,” Cuomo said. “Just like New York’s families and businesses have had to do, New York State must face economic reality. This budget achieves real, year-to-year savings while restructuring the way we man- age our state government.”

The first goal for the budget is to reduce the cost of state government. State agencies will be instructed to maximize savings, and Cuomo wants to negotiate with state employee labor unions to save money. Cuomo said if savings could not be achieved, up to 9,800 layoffs would be necessary.

In the executive budget, Medicaid spending will be cut by 2 percent, or $982 million. Medicaid funding has spiraled upwards every year, and Cuomo said the practice was unsustainable.

The cuts in Medicaid could be critical to Queens residents who already lost Mary Immaculate and St. John’s hospitals in 2009. According to a report in The New York Post, the Governor’s cuts could put Wykoff, Jamaica and Peninsula hospitals in danger of closing.

In reaction to the news, city Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) released a statement slamming the proposed cuts. “Queens County has lost three hospitals in the last two years alone,” Crowley said. “The human costs of closing another one or two will far outweigh the financial savings for New York.”

Cuomo also announced plans to cut educa- tion funding. The proposed budget would cut funding by $1.4 billion. SUNY and CUNY schools will also have their operating aid cut by 10 percent.
The MTA will receive a small increase in funding, but Cuomo is proposing using $100 million from dedicated transit funds to pay off state debts.

“When it comes to transit nothing much has changed,” said Paul Steely White, execu- tive director of Transportation Alternatives. “Cuomo is taking dedicated funds away from riders.”
Transportation Alternatives fears that taking the funds will lead to future MTA service cuts.

Last year, after former Governor David Paterson took $160 million of dedicated tran- sit funds, the MTA cut the W line, which ran through Astoria, and the V line, which ran through Forest Hills. More than 10 bus routes were also eliminated or reduced.

State Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) said the budget was “a good first step.” “We definitely need to cut spending and reduce government,” Addabbo said. However, Addabbbo was wary of layoffs and cuts to education and healthcare.

Education and healthcare are two of the largest elements of the budget, but Addabbo said there is wasteful spending within the bptj that can be reduced. Over the next eight weeks, Addabbo wants to discuss the budget and determine what the cuts will do to the state and the city. “We need to see what the ramifications are if we implement this budget,” he said.

Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Wood- haven) is also encouraged by the budget.

“That said, I am very concerned about the impact of eliminating aid to New York City. We cannot ask our already struggling schools to take another massive cut,” Miller said.

Miller also vowed to fight cuts to senior centers and people with developmental disabilities.

Addabbo said his biggest concern is that last year’s disastrous budget process is not re- peated. The 2010 budget was not passed by the April 1 deadline, and the legislature was forced to pass extender bills to keep the government working. Addabbo said Paterson held legislators hostage, with no room to negotiate, forcing them to pass Paterson’s budget.

Carl Berner, Steadfast MV Resident, Turns 109

2011-02-03T11:47:00.001-05:00

In 1928, Carl Berner emigrated from Germany and entered New York Harbor. By 1938 he had bought his first home in Middle Village for $5,190. Over the next 73 years, Berner has been a celebrated civic activist and one of the original members of the Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA).

Berner celebrated his 109th birthday last Thursday—adding another year and milestone to his already long and fulfilling life. As a youth, Berner split time in France and Germany. He was educated in German public schools and learned English. After moving to the United States, Berner achieved the American dream.

He toiled for hours as the nighttime superintendent for the Chrysler building. He worked there for five years, ten hours a day, six days a week. Berner was offerend a position to become a U.S. foreign agent because of his fluency in French and German, but he declined. Instead, he started his own toy-making company, first out of his garage, which became very successful. He met his wife, Margaret, and had a daughter, Emily.

Berner’s toys became collector’s items, and his expertise was sought by many businesses. He was invited to train younger workers in the industry. After moving to Middle Village, Berner immediately joined the Eliot Av- enue Civic Association, the precursor to the JPCA. Since then, he has been a fixture in civic activities around the community. At 109, Berner is still active and eager to help his neighbors, “especially the elderly.”

Bob Holden, president of the JPCA, praised Berner’s work and what he sees for the centenarian’s future: “We expect to see Mr. Berner walking around the neighborhood in the spring.”

This Week's Forum South and West

2011-01-31T11:21:00.001-05:00

Marshall Touts Progress in State of the Borough Address

2011-01-31T11:18:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Economic progress is still slow throughout Queens, but Borough President Helen Mar- shall said strides are being made to keep the borough thriving.

At her State of the Borough Address, Marshall focused on the work she’s accomplished over her last two terms and promised to keep progress moving forward.

“I look forward to completing projects and building new communities in my third term,” Marshall said.

Marshall focused on several key initiatives. She said she believes education is paramount to the borough’s success and praised the openings of several new schools. “PS 13 in Elmhurst opened a new annex,” Marshall said, “and PS 273 opened its doors with 379 seats in Richmond Hill.”

New schools in the area that opened this year includes the newly opened Metropolitan Avenue campus in Forest Hills, and the new Maspeth High School is currently under construction.

Marshall has also worked to improve the infrastructure in Queens. Last fall, the state Department of Transportation broke ground on repairs to the Kew Gardens Interchange— one of the most congested areas in the city where the Van Wyck Expressway, Jackie Robinson Parkway and Queens Boulevard all meet. Marshall has also pushed the city to fix sewers around Queens, specifically to alleviate flooding in areas like Broad Channel.

Through her tenure as Borough President, Marshall has allocated more than $354 million to libraries, parks, cultural institutions and historic houses. But Marshall blasted the way the city allocated money for libraries. “Last year, each and every branch in Queens received $77,000 less than Brooklyn branches,” she said.

At her address, Marshall asked Queens Council Members to draft legislation to fix the inequities in library funding. “This is not a borough against borough war,” Marshall said. “This is a matter of fairness.”

Ten senior centers have closed in Queens, and more cuts are on the way. Marshall promised to do everything she could to provide services for seniors. “Believe me, we will continue to fight these cuts.”

One way Marshall helped local seniors was providing funds for the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps to house resident seniors.

“We’re very grateful to Ms. Marshall, and our other elected officials, for coming together and crafting a plan that not only helps our seniors, but also benefits the volunteer ambulance corps at the same time,” said Ed Wendell, president of the Woodhaven Residents Block Association. “It’s a win-win scenario for the residents of Woodhaven.”

Marshall has also been dedicated to funding parks. She has allocated more than $140
million for park projects. Her funding has helped renovate the bandshell in Forest Park and a new baseball field and cricket pitch was unveiled at Southern Fields in Ozone Park.

Betty Braton, chairwoman of Community Board 10, was grateful for Marshall’s help. “We look forward to her continued support of park projects in our area,” Braton said.

Atlas Park Auction May Bring New Life to Shops

2011-01-31T11:14:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

The story of a mall plagued with financial woes and empty stores may soon have a new chapter. The Shops at Atlas Park, an open-air shopping center on Cooper Avenue in Glendale, is up for auction on January 28 after more than two years in foreclosure.

When developer Damon Hemmerdinger’s family-owned company, ATCO Properties and Management, opened the 400,000- square-foot, $200 million mall in April 2006, less than half the space was leased. Today, several storefronts remain empty.

Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, the New York branch of French-owned financier Société Générale, foreclosed on Hemmerdinger’s property in January 2009. The bank is likely preparing to unload their investment at a significant loss.

According to the legal notice of auction, the foreclosure debt was over $119 million by June 2010. And when at least two real estate firms were considering purchasing the mall in September, speculation put the buying price of Atlas Park as low as $50 million. Société Générale spokesperson Jim Galvin declined to comment.

According to Vincent Arcuri Jr., chair of Community Board 5, one of those companies met with community representatives while in negotiations. The firm, Chicago-based McCaffery Interests Inc., specializes in underperforming urban real estate, but eventually decided against the investment.

"We thought there was an ability to fix it,” Daniel McCaffery, president of McCaffery Interests, said to Retail Traffic. “But negotiations broke down."

Arcuri said he hopes whichever company wins the auction on Friday will pay attention to the community when deciding how to revamp Atlas Park.

“Whoever takes it over should listen to the community and the tenants,” Arcuri said, echoing years of residents’ criticism. “They need to bring in shops that the community and the young people are asking for.”

Hemmerdinger’s original plan for Atlas Park called for an upscale center that would attract
the wealthier shoppers of Manhattan and nearby Forest Hills. With poor access to the highway and shops that weren’t geared toward the surrounding community, Atlas Park failed to draw targeted crowds and alienated nearby Glendale residents.

While bolstering mall patronage was unsuccessful, it wasn’t for a lack of effort. Several buses were rerouted to connect with the property while Hemmerdinger’s father Dale was serving as MTA Chairman. But rather than attracting new patrons, the buses have been blamed for rising traffic congestion in the area.

Hemmerdinger even once ran a promotion at the Atlas Shops where he gave away $20,000 to mall shoppers. He handed out $1 bills and $1,000 prizes, calling himself a friend of the economy. The effort proved insufficient to promote an ongoing client base that would have prevented Atlas Park’s foreclosure.

After ATCO lost Atlas Park to foreclosure, a series of managers were brought in under the leadership of Societe General. The first replacement for the Hemmerdinger’s was the Mattone Group, and the most recent is CB Richard Ellis. None of the management groups have been
able to garner wide public support. “The management hasn’t been that good, because the bank has had complete control and has been calling the shots,” Arcuri said.

The community and politicians have floated several ideas about what should be done with Atlas Park, such as bringing in a supermarket like Target or Wal-Mart, or even opening space for City University of New York classes.

Council Member Elizabeth Crowley (D, Middle Village) proposed the CUNY partnership, and Crowley’s office said recently that she was exploring options such as medical facilities and breast-imaging centers.

"Atlas Park has the opportunity to serve as a positive economic engine for Queens and our city’s small businesses—but its value is dependent on its management," said Crowley. "I look forward to working with the new owner of Atlas Park to make sure this shop- ping center works with the community and the residents I represent."

Parents Concerned About DOE Choices

2011-01-31T11:11:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Parents let city Department of Education (DOE) officials know they were not happy with the direction the city is taking regarding enrollment and rezoning at this month’s Community Education Council (CEC 24) meeting.

It was a full agenda, and the meeting started with Bonnie Gross and Xinpei Qu from Stu- dent Enrollment. Gross alerted parents that 8th graders who took the specialized high school exam to enter schools like Stuyvesant or LaGuardia will receive their results and placements around February 10. By March 25, everyone will begin to learn their high school matches, Gross said.
CEC 24 President Nick Comaianni asked the enrollment officers to do a better job of including Superintendent Madelene Taub-Chan in the decision making process. “You should check with the superintendent before enrollment decisions are made. She should not be alerted after the decision,” Comaianni said.

Qu told the board that the superintendent is an integral part of their decision process. Gross also said if there is a communications breakdown they will review and fix the problems.

Parents let Gross and Qu know that more seats needed to be added for the gifted and talented programs. Most elementary schools in Maspeth including PS 153 are kindergarten through sixth grade. Therefore, students who test and qualify into the “Beacon” program in 5th grade face a difficult decision: switch schools to enter the program from 6th through 8th grades or enter the program in 6th grade and hope there is a spot for 7th graders the following year.

Charlie Vavruska, president of the Beacon Parents Forum, said they were guaranteed spots for their kids in 7th grade, but now they are being told there are only a handful of seats available.

“My daughter is in 5th grade at PS 153,” Vavruska said. “I’d like her to stay and graduate with her class.”

Parent after parent pleaded with the DOE to add extra seats to the program.

Another controversy arose at the meeting when Alex Shub from the Division of Portfolio and New Leaders presented the proposed principal of Maspeth High School. Shub said Khurshid Abdul Mutakabir was the most qualified leader out of the 200 candidates the department interviewed.

“This is a community concerned about their children,” Mutakabir said. “I proposed a straight forward school with a language arts focus. The top goal is to send kids to top universities.”

However, the board and parents felt Mutakabir’s introduction to the community felt disingenuous. A similar introduction of proposed leaders for the Metropolitan Avenue high school saw the DOE bring several candidates for public meetings.

“It feels as if this guy was just hand picked and we have no say in the decision,” one parent said.

Finally, the board passed a resolution approving Portfolio’s “step zoning” proposal that was introduced last week. IS 119 was ex- panded to kindergarten through 8th grade, so
a new zone needed to be introduced. When creating the zone, Portfolio wanted to alter several other zones to alleviate overcrowding.

However, at last week’s meeting at IS 119, parents strongly opposed the move and asked the department and the board to reconsider the proposal.

Board member Brian Rafferty understood the objections to the project: “I don’t think it’s necessarily the best solution. But it is a solution,” he said, and voted for the proposal.

MTA Set to Renovate Shabby Stations

2011-01-31T11:10:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

One of Ridgewood’s worst train stations, along with several other stations in Queens, will be repaired over the next three years, according to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA).

The Seneca Avenue stop on the M train was rated as the worst station in the city by MTA’s internal reports. In 2009, MTA engineers graded each station looking at the condition of interior and platform stairs, walls, floors and ceilings. These components were graded on a scale of 1-5 (five being the worst), and the Seneca Avenue stop scored a 3.5 in each category.

The station was included as part of the MTA’s 2010-2014 capital program for station renewal, MTA spokesperson Deirdre Parker con- firmed. According to Parker, the station renewal is in the design phase and construction is tentatively scheduled for October 2011.

According to the New York Daily News, other stations in line for repairs are Fresh Pond Road and Forest and Knickerbocker and Central Avenue on the M line. On the A line, the 80th, 88th, 104th, 111th, Rockaway and Lefferts boulevards stations will be renovated.

In all, the MTA’s station renewal project will repair 25 stations and cost $375 million dollars.

Arrest Made in Forest Hills Robbery Spree

2011-01-31T11:08:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Forest Hills and Kew Gardens residents were fearful when they learned a mugger was targeting women in the area, but police report an arrest has been made in the case.

Since the beginning of the year, police said a mugger targeted women and used physical force to steal their property. In all, ten rob- beries were reported—six cases occurred within the 112th Precinct.

A 48-year-old woman was robbed on January 9 at 64th Avenue and 102nd Street; a 52-year-old woman was robbed on January 10 around 64th Road and 99th Street; on the same night, a 31-year-old woman was robbed on the Grand Central Parkway service road; on January 12 a 22-year-old woman was robbed on 67th Avenue and Yellow- stone Boulevard; on January 13 a 28-year- old woman was robbed on 62nd Drive and 98th Street; and finally on January 15, a 62- year-old woman was robbed on Dieterle Cresent.

“I’m concerned,” Forest Hills resident Flor Angela Castro told the Daily News. “Now I’ll be more careful walking on Austin Street.”

Castro may be able to breathe a sigh of relief. On January 21, officers arrested Brian Rodriguez, 33, of Nassau County for the incident on 64th Avenue and 102nd Street and the incident on 62nd Drive and 98th Street. He has been charged with second-degree robbery in both cases. The investigation is ongoing, but residents hope this is a major break in the case.
Rodriguez was allegedly working with an accomplice during the crimes. Anyone with additional information in regards to these incidents is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1- 800-577-TIPS (8477). All calls are confidential.

This Week's Forum South and West

2011-01-20T12:03:00.001-05:00

Be sure to check out our paper online at and read our special feature on Catholic Schools week.

Women Held Captive During Robberies

2011-01-20T11:40:00.001-05:00

Police are seeking suspects in a series of armed robberies in Queens involving women in their late 50s and early 60s being held captive.

The most recent of three robberies linked to this group occurred near Marengo Street and McLaughlin Avenue in Jamaica Estates on January 14. At approximately 11:30 p.m. two men grabbed a 68-year-old woman and pushed her into her car. When she screamed, the two fled in a dark sedan.

The previous two robberies, occurring on April 14 and December 22, 2010, followed the same pattern, but the women, age 63 and 58 respectively, were held while two or three male suspects gathered their valuables and a female accomplice used their debit cards to withdraw cash at a nearby ATM.

The police said that while a firearm was either shown or threatened during each of the three incidences, no one has yet been injured.

The police released a sketch of one of the three male subjects and a video of their female accomplice as she entered a bank to withdraw money from the ATM as one victim was held in
her car. The other suspects were reportedly wearing masks.

The male suspect is described as a 5-foot 8-inch black man in his 20s, medium build, with a clear complexion. The female suspect, also in her 20s, is between 5 feet 3 inches and 5 feet 6 inches, 120 and 140 pounds, and has long curly black hair.

The police are requesting that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-8477, submit their tips on the Crime Stoppers' website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or text CRIMES
(274637), then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.

Teachers Dress in Black to Protest School Closings

2011-01-20T11:36:00.001-05:00

By Jason Barczy

Teachers for P.S. 30 Ruby S. Couche Elementary School showed up to an educational town hall meeting on January 13 dressed in black to protest a New York City Department of Education (DOE) proposal phasing out the Jamaica school.

Teachers and parents, along with some students debated the proposal, sometimes angrily, and asked DOE Director of Public Affairs Lenny Speiller about the future of the school.

Third-grader Demir Rogers-Barker stood with her mother, Deshanna Barker, and said, “Everyday I walk out of this school, I feel like a new person.”

The DOE is proposing that Jamaica’s students and staff of P.S.30 andP.S.40 along with Richmond Hill High School and August Martin High School, be phased out. The Panel of Educational Policy will vote on the proposal during a public meeting at 6 p.m. on February 1.

In the case of P.S. 30, a new school would open in the building as early as September and begin enrolling kindergarten, first grade and second grade students.

“This school is amazing,” said 5th grade teacher at P.S. 30 Jamaal Williams. “We cannot close this school and at the end of the day the children and the staff have the ability to suc- ceed. This is a place of learning.”

According to the DOE, P.S. 30 has struggled for years. Last year, only 27 percent of students were on grade level in English and only 31 percent were on grade level in math. P.S. 30 earned an overall D grade last year on its Progress Report with an F grade for School Performance and C grades in both Student Progress and School Environment sub-sections.

“Those stats are pretty telling,” Speiller said to Jamaica resident Elaine Jackson when asked for specifics on why the closure was being considered. “The school has struggled for a while.”

It’s the same story for P.S. 40, which earned an overall D grade on its 2009-10 Progress Report and at Richmond Hill and August Martin high schools the graduation rates have remained below 50 percent for more than five years.

Richmond Hill saw modest improvement in the school’s graduation rate. It rose to 48 percent in 2009, but it remains well below the 63 percent citywide average. The New York State Education Department named Richmond Hill as one of the “Persistently Lowest Achieving” schools in the entire state.

At this point, the DOE has no specific plans for Richmond Hill but is developing an action plan that may include phasing the school out or simply replacing staff, changing leadership and introducing a new program.

“Closing schools should not be an alternative,” said state Senator Joseph Addabbo (D- Howard Beach). “These are tough fiscal times for both the city and state and we have to make cuts because we can’t afford certain services anymore but we need to collectively do a better job to minimize cuts to education."

The DOE has scheduled a joint public hearing at P.S. 30 at 6 p.m. on January 27 where it hopes to hear an action plan put together by teachers, parents and school administrators on how to move P.S. 30 from a D to an A grade on its Progress Report.

“At one time this was an excellent school,” said State Senator Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica). “We’re going to do everything we can to make this right.”

Putting the Brakes on Rogue Cyclists

2011-01-20T11:31:00.001-05:00

Ulrich Proposes Bike Registration

By Eric Yun

New York City is undeniably going to great lengths to promote biking. The city Department of Transportation (DOT) said cycling has doubled since 2005. But, many, including Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), worry that cyclists may be too prone to abusing the rules of the road.
Ulrich believes a simple way to curtail reckless cyclists is bicycle registration. Under his tentative proposal, adult bicycle owners would be required to register their bicycles and display some form of identification.

“[The proposal] came as a result with several meetings with constituents—many who are senior citizens—concerned about public safety,” Ulrich said. “I want to protect the well-being of people who share the road.”

Ulrich said his constituents are concerned about their safety because they feel most cyclists don’t follow traffic laws. “Traffic laws are broken every day in the city, and the person keeps on pedaling,” Ulrich said. “Every day across the city, bikes are directly or indirectly involved in an accident, and there is no way to identify them.”

“The city bends over backwards to accommodate bicycle riders, but yet we don’t accommodate the needs of everyone else on the road,” Ulrich continued.

Since Ulrich unveiled his plans to the New York Post last Thursday, the criticism has been swift.

Transportation Alternatives, New York City’s biggest advocacy group for public transit and bicycles, is already gearing up for a fight.

In an e-mail sent to Transportation Alternatives members, Paul Steely White, executive director of the group, blasted the “draconian” plan and wrote: “This misguided proposal is a waste of city’s resources and does nothing to improve safety, cycling or the city.”

Transportation Alternatives started a campaign against the proposal and is urging concerned cyclists to let Ulrich know how they feel about bicycle registration.

“Practically speaking, bicycle registration would criminalize bicycling, waste valuable city resources and erect yet another obstacle for those seeking to ride a bike,” White wrote in the e-mail campaign. “It would do nothing to improve safety or enforcement. … There are sufficient traffic laws on the books, covering drivers, cyclists and commercial cyclists. What’s missing from the equation isn’t an ID tag, it’s the NYPD’s participation in enforcement.”

Transportation Alternatives also noted that the most dangerous vehicles are still cars.

“According to the DMV, in 2009 there were 75,539 automobile crashes in New York City, less than 4 percent of those crashes involved a bicycle,” White wrote.

Caroline Samponaro, director of bicycle advocacy for Transportation Alternatives, said requiring bicycle registration would actually decrease safety.

“Studies have shown as more cyclists ride bikes, it becomes safer to ride. We want to encourage people to ride bikes. Don’t create unnecessary red tape,” Samponaro said. “We feel strongly that the solution to [reckless riders] is NYPD enforcement. Cyclists already need to produce a proof of ID when they’re stopped and ticketed.”

If Ulrich really wanted to stop lawless bikers, he should be in contact with the local police precincts to step up enforcement, Samponaro said.

Local community groups acknowledge there are problems with the city’s current bicycle rules and riders, but are mixed in their support of bike registration.

One possible local ally for bike registration is Mary Ann Carey, district manager of Community Board 9. In the past, she has proposed regulations charging cyclists for parking on city bike racks. Carey could not comment specifically on Ulrich’s proposal because it hasn’t been presented to the board, but on a personal level, she said she agreed something should be done.

“[Cyclists] endanger people on the sidewalk, people on the street and drivers of automobiles. There needs to be some guidelines,” Carey said.

Bob Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said he hasn’t had many problems with bikers in Middle Village, but he has heard occasional complaints about people riding on sidewalks and riding through Juniper Valley Park harassing pedestrians. “Obviously the problem in Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn is much worse,” he said. “In principal, something needs to be done as long as it doesn’t become a bureaucratic mumbo jumbo.”

Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5, feels bike riding is useful for the community. “Generally speaking, most of us think [biking] is a good activity health wise. If they’re riding bicycles, they’re not driving cars, reducing pollution and congestion,” Giordano said.

Giordano’s biggest problem with bicycles is that narrow streets such as Myrtle or Central avenues make it nearly impossible to install bike lanes, and passing cars must cross the double yellow line into oncoming traffic. “It’s not easy [to bike] here. We don’t want them on the sidewalk, but very often, that’s the only place they feel safe.”

Ulrich, however, said many of the criticisms are unfounded. No bill has been formally been introduced or drafted because his office is still trying to feedback and perspective from various groups including Transportation Alternatives, he said. A meeting has been planned between Ulrich and Transportation Alternatives, and Ulrich said he wants to hear every side before proposing legislation to the Council.

Bicycle registration won’t waste city resources either, Ulrich said. “When the bill is drafted, it’s not going to cost a dime. It will be a one-time, free registration.”

He envisions a proposal where the existing DOT bicycles unit handles the costs and riders can go to NYC.gov and download applications for free. “It’s not going to tax people for riding a bicycle,” Ulrich said.

Enforcement and responsible cycling would increase with registration, Ulrich said. By holding cyclists accountable, bikers would be more responsible and “think twice before blowing the stop sign or a red light,” he said.

Ulrich also argued that people hit by bicycles could actually identify the offending cyclist and file a complaint report with police.

“This is not a punitive measure, and I’m not against bicycles,” Ulrich said. “I applaud people who ride bicycles; it’s good exercise and good for the environment.”

But Ulrich believes bicycle registration is necessary to keep everyone safe and accountable. “This is the right thing to do. There is a totally unfair, double standard enforcing traffic laws. And nobody is above the law.”

Jewish Monument Planned on Chaplains Hill

2011-01-20T11:28:00.001-05:00

By Jason Barczy

Last Thursday, at the Kew Forest Jewish War Veteran Post, Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-Kew Gardens) announced legislation calls for the construction of a memorial honoring the 13 Jewish chaplains who gave their lives in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The memorial would be installed on Chaplains Hill in the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, which honors men and women who gave their lives in combat. Currently, Chaplains Hill has three monuments saluting the Christian religious men in the military, but none that recognize Jewish chaplains.

“These chaplains who served their country so honorably deserve this memorial, just like those of other faiths,” Weiner said. “I believe there will be strong support for this resolution in Con- gress, and I look forward to the day when I can stand with my colleagues and see this memorial unveiled at Arlington National Cemetery.”

Weiner was joined by representatives of various Jewish War Veterans groups from throughout Queens, including Seymour Weber, a member of Kew Forest Post 250 and a World War II veteran.

“I think it’s very, very important that we not be forgotten. It is so important we’re there as much as anybody else,” Weber said. “We served the best we could do for the United States of America.”

Jewish chaplains have served in the Armed Forces since 1862, and there are currently 32 rabbis on active duty. According to the U.S. Army, about 1,800 soldiers identified themselves as Jewish in 2009.

“The service of these chaplains goes beyond just providing religious service in the field,” said Jason Katz, a member of the Jewish Chaplains Queens County Council and a Vietnam War veteran. “They serve as a means for the troops to sit down and talk with people in uniform who understand their way of life and are very, very helpful.”

Weiner sent a letter to his colleagues last year to introduce the resolution and within two months, 23 members of Congress signed on as co-sponsors.

Weiner said that sometimes the recognition of creates controversy, “but in the case of the Jewish chaplains in the military, for literally generations, they have been providing service and in many cases dying in action and there has been no recognition as best as we can tell be- cause no one thought of it until relatively recently.”

The memorial to honor Jewish chaplains would join a 1926 monument honoring 23 World War I chaplains, a 1981 memorial dedicated to 134 Protestant chaplains and a 1989 memorial for 83 Catholic chaplains. All memorials erected in Arlington National Cemetery require a joint concurrent resolution by Congress, and the Jewish Chaplains Council said they have raised all the funds needed to construct the memorial.

Mayor Bloomberg Delivers State of the City Address

2011-01-20T11:24:00.001-05:00

Announces Plan to Increase Taxi Service in Outer Boroughs

By Eric Yun

Mayor Michael Bloomberg delivered the annual State of the City address at St. George Theater on Staten Island on Wednesday.

Bloomberg outlined his agenda for 2011, and said the city needed to continue reviving the economy, balancing the budget and modernizing the government. The mayor pledged to not raise taxes, despite pressures on next year’s budget that will be greater than ever.

“We can look back, and continue funding a government operating system that was built for another era,” said Bloomberg. “Or we can look forward and continue rebounding, continue growing, continue forging ahead and leading the nation. But we cannot do both.”

Bloomberg wants to revitalize many areas in the city including Queens, as the city cannot survive if New Yorkers move. “In Queens, shovels will go into the ground at Hunters Point South, where we’ll begin to transform long vacant land into a new middle-class development fueled by $2 billion in private investments that will create 4,600 jobs,” he said.

Cultural centers like the Queens Museum of Art will also receive funding to build new facilities. Bloomberg said that although money is tight, it is important to invest in the city’s cultural infrastructure.

Attracting people to New York is also a big priority. Bloomberg said he is pushing for federal immigration reform that would allow the next generation of entrepreneurs into the city. He also intends to enhance the city’s academic institutions to attract leaders in education and medicine.

Bloomberg also announced a proposal to allow livery cab drivers to make on-street pick- ups outside of Manhattan.

“Why shouldn’t someone in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, or Staten Island be able to hail a legal cab on the street? Ninety-seven percent of yellow cab pick-ups happen in Manhattan or at the airports – even though 80 percent of New Yorkers live outside of Manhattan,” Bloomberg said.

A new category of livery cars would be created under Bloomberg’s proposal that would provide all city residents a safe, reliable and convenient way to hail cabs. “Because whether you’re standing on 42nd Street in Manhattan or 42nd Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn or 42nd Street in Sunnyside, Queens, you ought to be able to hail a cab,” he said.

The city is facing tough times, Bloomberg conceded, but he is confident the city will bounce back as it has always done. He described the state of the city as “strong, united, determined and ready to meet any challenge. Today, tomorrow and forever.”

Railroad Eyesore Cleaned

2011-01-20T11:19:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

The New York and Atlantic Railway tracks above Otto Street and Ridgewood along Joseph Mafera Park have blighted Glendale with years of litter and graffiti-covered rail trestles.

After numerous complaints, Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) teamed up with the Long Island Rail Road to clean the railway.

“People should not have to live with gang graffiti in their neighborhood and I am proud to announce that the graffiti along the rail trestles has been painted over,” Miller said.

Community groups like Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions have organized similar clean-ups in the neighborhood. At the most recent clean-up, Crowley commended the community for past efforts.

“Sometimes small changes make big differences and I am pleased that the LIRR, New York and Atlantic Railway and the [Department of Sanitation] are stepping up their efforts to join local residents in cleaning up our community,” she said.

According to Miller, Painting over the graffiti is just the first step.

“We are still working on fixing many more issues with sanitation to increase the frequency of trash pick up and vermin eradication under the trestles,” he said. “We have begun working with organizations for the homeless that have agreed to house any indigents who are living in the area.”

Anyone witnessing trash dumping, graffiti spraying or any crime related to the train trestles is asked to notify Miller’s office at 718-805-0950. If a crime is in progress, call 911.

Relief From Diesel Soot in Glendale

2011-01-20T11:16:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Local residents surrounded by the Jackie Robinson Parkway, the Long Island Expressway and Fresh Pond Rail Yard breathe in toxic air emissions daily. The cocktail of fumes increase residents’ risk for cancer and respiratory problems including asthma and emphysema. The number of children hospi- talized for asthma in Queens is more than triple the national average, according to the city’s Health Department.

Now, at least one form of emissions—diesel soot—could be decreased significantly.

The city’s Department of Small Business Services and Economic Development Corporation (EDC) submitted two grant applications to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that would replace antiquated diesel engines on trains operated by CSX, New York and Atlantic Railway and the Long Island Railroad with more efficient models.

Glendale resident Mary Parisen has been fighting to improve rail traffic and emissions for several years. She and Laura Zimmer started Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions (CURES) to lobby for changes in how rail companies operate locally and have been in constant contact with EDC and rail companies. They were both thrilled about the progress the grants showed.

“This is a significant step in the right direct,” said Parisen. “We have dreamed of and advocated for a US EPA grant application for new locomotives that will replace old, polluting 1978 LIRR equipment and reduce harmful diesel emissions in our neighborhood. Today we see this dream becoming reality.”

According to the submitted grant applications, repowering the locomotive fleet will reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions by 76 percent annually and particulate matter emissions by 62 percent annually.

All the major rail companies operating through Fresh Pond Rail Yard have come together to reduce emissions. CSX offered their support and matching funds of $750,000 to complete the project. Waste Management, which transports trash through the station, has pledged $1.4 million in support. New York and Atlantic also promised funding to help the project.

The grants also have strong political support. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Councilman James Vacca, who chairs the Transportation Committee, and Councilman James Gennaro, who chairs the Environmental Protection Committee, sent a letter to the EPA support the grant.

“The repowered locomotives will leverage advanced and proven technologies to provide significant air quality improvements for the individuals who live and work in and around rail facilities in Kings, Queens and Bronx Counties,” the statement said.

Congressman Jerrold Nadler also wrote to support the program.

The unified approach displayed in this grant process was always a major goal of CURES. “In an era of scarcer resources, everyone has to work together on practical, focused planning and action that create a better life today and a sustainable future for the city, business and residents,” said Zimmer.

“CURES’ leaders have been advocating for public-private partnerships that pool their resources to make freight rail improvements and develop freight transportation alternatives,” Parisen said.

If the EPA approves the grant, the repowering would begin in May and take approximately two years to complete.

Community Angered by Rezoning Proposal

2011-01-20T11:13:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Angry parents joined together at IS 119 in Glendale to protest the city Department of Education (DOE) proposal to rezone the school, a move they say would force children to cross busy streets and destroy the character of local neighborhoods.

The DOE’s Division of Portfolio and Plan- ning intends to redraw the schools’ enrollment boundaries after changing the facility to a K-8 school. IS 119 will begin expanding next year, and a new zone for kindergarten stu- dents must be created.

While creating the zone, Portfolio said it wanted to rezone the southern portion of the district to alleviate overcrowding and balance enrollment across the district. This means the current zones, especially for PS 113, 91, 68, 88, 239, 71, 81 and 305, would shift slightly. Students already in the school are not affected, and students with an older sibling attending a rezoned school will be given preference to keep the family together.

But generally, the parents who attended the meeting voiced their displeasure with the proposal.

“Kids should not have to cross a busy block to go to school,” said Kathy Masi, president of the Glendale Civic Association. “Don’t split up a community just because Portfolio says you have to.”

Under the proposal, many kids who could have walked a few blocks to nearby PS 88 would now have to walk over 10 blocks to PS 91. Along the way, they would have to cross busy streets like Central Avenue.

Patricia Crowley, a member of Community Board 5’s Education Committee, agreed rezoning would destroy close-knit communities. “It’s wrong to come into a neighborhood and split it.” Patricia Crowley also argued parents were not given proper notice about the changes.

Portfolio officials at the meeting said they were following proper protocol, and the public meeting was designed to get community input. However, Marge Kolb, president of the District 24 Presidents’ Council asked why only one meeting was being held. All schools affected by the rezoning should have a public community meeting, Kolb said in a statement read by Jo Ann Berger at the meeting.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D- Middle Village) also joined parents protesting the proposal. “Far too many school zones are being affected. It’s hard for the community to really understand the impact of these changes,” she said.

Councilwoman Crowley and others pleaded for patience. Two additional schools, including one planned for the former Rite Aid site on Metropolitan Avenue, are scheduled to open within the next two years, and additional rezoning would have to occur.

“Why not zone PS/IS 119 as proposed and leave other schools’ zones intact for the next year to see what way things shake out?” said Kolb. “PS/IS 119 could also be used next year for overflow kindergarteners for a number of area schools while the impact of the Rite Aid school is worked out and demographic numbers are looked at more closely.”

Nick Comaianni, president of Community Education Council 24 (CEC 24), said reaching a compromise on rezoning might be better than rejecting the proposal outright. Comaianni said the DOE could simply cap kindergarten admission rates, and force stu- dents zoned for a school attend the school of the department’s choice.

CEC 24 will vote on the proposal at their next meeting on January 25 at 7 p.m. at IS 73, 70-02 54th Avenue, in Maspeth.

Scary Shooting After CTK Basketball Game

2011-01-20T11:10:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Instead of celebrating Christ the King High School men’s basketball victory over Bishop Loughlin Memorial on Friday night, head coach Joe Arbitello feared for his life as gunfire erupted outside the Brooklyn school as he was walking to the team bus after the game. Ultimately, five teens were shot.

“I was scared. I didn’t know where [the gunfire] was coming from,” Arbitello told the New York Daily News.

Christ the King defeated Bishop Loughlin 69-57 Friday night, but after the game an argument broke out near the school. Police said five teens, ranging from 17 to 19 years old were shot. None sustained life-threatening injuries and were transported to Kings County Hospital in stable condition.

According to the Daily News, the argument was sparked by a $250 Louis Vitton hat.

Councilwoman Letitia James (D-Brooklyn) said this was a random act and no Bishop Loughlin or Christ the King students were involved. She is concerned about safety at future sporting events.

“I would like to hold a meeting with the leaders and basketball teams of both schools to discuss methods for security and protecting the students, as well as protecting the community and all visitors during and after basketball game nights,” she said.

The police released surveillance footage from Bishop Loghlin of four suspects. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or on nypdcrimestoppers.com

This Week's Forum South and West

2011-01-13T17:00:00.000-05:00

Police Arrest Suspect in Livery Cab Shooting

2011-01-13T16:59:00.000-05:00

The suspect in the shooting of a livery cab driver in South Ozone Park was arrested Tuesday in Buffalo and charged with second-degree attempted murder of a 53- year-old livery cab driver in December.

Shawn Peace, 22, of 161-18 118th Avenue in Jamaica, al- legedly shot Trevor Bell multiple times on the night of December 3 after Peace hailed Bell’s livery cab at 117- 02 Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica.

Bell drove Peace to 117-60 122nd Street in South Ozone Park where a struggle ensued between the two men in the front seat of the cab. Peace allegedly shot Bell in his neck and limbs before fleeing.

“This shooting of a hardworking livery cab driver who is married and the father of six children will be vigorously prosecuted,” said Queen District Attorney Richard Brown in a statement. “The victim in this case is the sole breadwinner for his family and was trying to earn some extra cash for the holidays when he was shot during the course of an alleged robbery.”

Police responded to a 911 call on the corner of 122nd Street and Sutter Avenue and found Bell slumped over in the driver’s seat of the cab with four gunshot wounds — one to the right hand, one to the neck, one to the left leg and one to the right leg.

Bell was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center where he remains hospitalized with a bullet lodged in his neck.

“It has been more than six weeks since the incident and the victim remains hospitalized,” Brown said. “Once again we are sadly reminded of the dangers faced by taxi and liv- ery drivers in the course of their work and the senseless gun violence that surrounds us.”

Peace was arrested by members of the New York City Police Department’s Queens Violent Felony Squad and local Buffalo police at an apartment at 507 Niagara Street in Buffalo. Published reports said the NYPD traced his cell phone to his location in Buffalo.

Bell’s son, Trevor Bell Jr., 25, was interviewed in the New York Times saying his dad will be happy knowing Peace is behind bars.

“He’s going to be happier about going home,” Trevor Bell Jr. said. “I want to thank the person who gave him up. Thank God they found him.”

Peace will be arraigned in Queens Criminal Court in Kew Gardens on charges of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and second-degree possession of a weapon and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

According to the New York Times, Peace was charged on Wednesday with six counts of first-degree robbery from last year where he targeted fast food restaurants throughout Queens.

On July 15, Peace allegedly robbed a McDonald’s on Union Turnpike in Floral Park, on August 8 he allegedly robbed a Wendy’s on Northern Boulevard in Bayside, on August 19 he allegedly held up a Popeye’s in Rosedale where he shot a manager in the right hand before escaping.

Three months later, police say Peace committed a crime similar to the attack on Bell. On November 18 he entered the Omega Car Service office on 232nd Street in Cambria Heights requesting a ride. Once he arrived at his destination he pulled out a gun and took cash and a cellphone from the driver and stole the car.

The next day, on November 19, Peace robbed a Burger King in Woodhaven and two days later on November 21 he held up another McDonald’s, this one in Brookville near John F. Kennedy International Airport, police said.

Sex Offender at School Sparks Outrage, Prompts Legislative Solutions

2011-01-13T16:16:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

A volunteer instructor at St. Mel’s in Flushing was let go after he allegedly made inappropriate contact with students through Facebook. The parents’ shock intensified when the man, Joseph Denice, was revealed as a registered sex offender.

According to the District Attorney’s office, Denice, 24, was arrested on December 2, 2009. In the original criminal complaint, Denice was charged with entering a boy’s home and tricking the 12-year-old to submit to a “body scan.”

Denice told the victim that the scans were mandatory, and if he refused, the scans would occur at family court where the examiners would likely be incompetent. The boy agreed to the scans, and Denice inappropriately groped the boy. He pleaded guilty on June 1, 2010 and was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation. He is registered as a level one sex offender.

According to Senator Tony Avella’s office, Denice worked with St. Mel’s before his arrest, and upon his release, he resumed his duties at the school. NY1 reported that on December 31, a parent contacted school officials about alleged messages through Facebook. He was released from the school on Monday, January 3.

The District Attorney’s office said they were alerted to Denice’s situation and will investigate the charges.

The Brooklyn Dioceses said Denice worked at three schools: St. Mel’s, St. Luke’s in Whitestone and St. Kevin’s in Flushing. They will alert parents whose children may have had contact with Denice within the next two weeks.

The news has spurred lawmakers into action. Avella (D-Bayside) has contacted St. Mel’s, the Brooklyn Dioceses and the Department of Education (DOE) about the incident. He wants to organize a public meeting to discuss what occurred and ways to prevent future incidents. Avella also asked Facebook to delete Denice’s account under New York State’s Electronic Security and Targeting Online Predators (e-STOP) act.

“Protecting our youth from dangerous predators should be paramount,” Avella said in a statement. “Our schools should be a haven where they can learn and grow under the trusted tutelage of their educators.”

Denice might never have worked at St. Mel’s if Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) had his way. In February 2010, he introduced a bill (A10010/S6998) that could have stopped Denice’s hire. The bill requires employers to ensure prospective employees who have “direct and unsupervised contact with children” are not registered sex offenders. Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) sponsored the bill in the State Senate.

“This is a matter of common sense,” said Miller. “The situation in Flushing highlights the need to pass a comprehensive overhaul of how we deal with sex offenders. My bills in the Assembly seeking to prevent sex offenders from working with our children are my highest priority. I will do everything I can to get immediate action on these bills so we can begin protecting our children. My sympathy goes out to the child, his family, and the families of this school.”

The sex offender bill passed the Senate 61-0 in June, but the legislative session closed before a floor vote in the Assembly. Miller said party leaders have told him the bill is a priority for the current legislative session and feels confident it will pass when it is brought to the floor.

“The whole goal is to protect our children. I don’t see any obstacles and hurdles,” Miller said, noting the support he has received from both Democrats and Republicans.

There are 1,194 registered sex offenders in Queens, and Miller’s legislation would help strengthen New York’s regulations of convicted sex offenders. Under current law, anyone who has been convicted of a sex offense after January 1996 must register with the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). Sex offenders convicted in other states must also register if they move to New York. How long someone remains on the registry depends on the person’s classification and designation.

There are three classifications for sex offenders. Level 1 offenders pose a low risk for repeat offenses, level 2 offenders pose a moderate risk for repeat offenses and level 3 offenders pose a high risk for repeat offenses and a threat to public safety exists.

Designations are given to sex offenders based on the type of crime committed. Those convicted of violent sexual offenses are designated sexually violent offenders. Sexually violent offenders diagnosed with mental abnormalities or personality disorders that make it likely they will repeat sexual offenses are designated sexual predators. Predicate sex offenders are those convicted of a sex offense after having been previously convicted of a sex crime.

Anyone who receives a designation as a sexual predator, sexually violent offender or predicate sex offender must register as a sex offender for life. Level 2 and 3 sex offenders are also registered for life. Level 1 offenders with no designation must register for 20 years.

The sex offender registry is available on the DCJS’s website. Level 2 and 3 sex offenders are listed, but by law, level 1 offenders are not publicly available. Miller sponsors another bill (A11008/S7992) that would allow local law enforcement access to level 1 offenders.

Giving police access to level 1 offenders allows them the opportunity to pick up and spot deviant behaviors from registered sex offenders, Miller said. Currently, police have no way to determine if a person is a level 1 offender and must investigate each suspect on a case by case basis.

Concerned residents have several ways to stay informed about sex offenders in their neighborhood. All level 2 and 3 sex offenders are searchable on DCJS’s website (criminaljustice.state.ny.us). Users can search by name, address or zip code.

Also, DCJS has partnered with NY-ALERTS to establish a “sex offender relocation alert.” New Yorkers can sign up for NY-ALERTS at users.nyalert.gov and select up to three zip codes or counties. NY-ALERTS will notify users whenever a registered sex offender moves in or out of those communities.

Construction Casualty Adds to Infamous Developer's Shoddy Record

2011-01-13T16:11:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey and Eric Yun

A building collapsed Monday at a construction site in Elmhurst left one worker dead and three others injured.

Department of Building officials said a wall at 84-16 Queens Boulevard, approximately 18 feet high, was being reinforced with concrete when it collapsed, trapping four workers. FDNY and EMS responded to the scene.

The four injured workers were rushed to Elmhurst Hospital, where one man went into cardiac arrest and died, FDNY officials said. The other three men were reported to be in stable condition.

“It was absolutely terrible,” witness Jim Demetrio said to CBS. “The workers were trapped and other workers were trying to get them out.”

The New York Daily News reported that the victim was 27-year-old Humberto Sanchez, a father of three.

“He was a good man,” said brother Cornelius Sanchez to the Daily News. “He was a hard-working man.”

The Department of Buildings said it is still investigating the accident, and a stop work order has been issued, with additional violations expected.

However, the property owner is no stranger to DOB fines.

The department’s records show the family of notorious developer Tommy Huang owns the property. Tommy Huang and his son Henry have been cited numerous times throughout the years for improper development.

After he built his first five-family home in Flushing in 1979, Huang began a whirlwind rise to lead development in the area. In 1986, he spent $3.4 million on the RKO Keith’s Theater, announced plans for a shopping mall, hotel and movie house, then spent the next four years on a slow demolition. In 1990, the city revoked his permits when the theater’s landmark staircase was razed. Then a fire started in the locked building—an arson that was never solved.

Former State Senator Leonard P. Stavisky, who passed away in 1999, was an Assembly- man when he first locked his sight on Huang. Stavisky recalled a story about Huang to the New York Times in 1997. It was 1982, and Huang had showed up at his house with an architect to dispute Stavisky’s opposition to one of Huang’s construction projects.

According to the Times article, a Molotov cocktail burned down a restaurant and several other shops at Huang’s proposed site that same year. After the fire, Huang raised his offer and the bank sold him the property. Stavisky demanded response to an ''arson for profit'' ring, but no one was ever charged.

Huang was later charged for allowing 10,000 gallons of heating oil to leak into the building. He pled guilty in 1997, was fined $500,000, sentenced to 5 years probation and ordered to clean the spill.

The State Attorney General sued Huang in 1999 for irregularities at a Flushing housing complex and Huang was forbidden to sell condos and co-ops in New York.

In 2002, he sold the RKO for $12.1 million at a nearly 400 percent profit, and his building projects continued.

Eleven houses Huang built at 34th Ave. and Union St. in Flushing were approved by the DOB as three-family homes the same year he sold the RKO, but Huang built them so close together, the Fire Department was unable to gain access. The Board of Standards and Appeals pulled the certificates of occupancy in 2005, and eight buyers sued.

Huang has since faced charges that structural problems at an abandoned project on Grand Avenue in Elmhurst twice caused the evacuation of the adjacent Ladder Co. 136 firehouse in 2005 and 2006, and that his project manager at the site, Thomas Cottone, ignored a stop-work order and was in possession of a forged instrument for altering a building permit.

On Mazeau Street, Huang demolished a garage without a permit—he simply applied after the fact and his demolition application was approved. The DOB also issued permits to subdivide the lot, for a construction fence and for a new three-story building. Completely disregarding the zoning code, Huang nearly completed construction of a four-story building.

Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) joined concerned residents in December 2006 to protest Huang’s development on Mazeau Street, calling on the DOB to stop issuing permits to Huang. Avella cited numerous violations and Huang’s 1997 felony conviction.

In 2008, a stop work order on the Mazeau Street site was temporarily lifted so Huang could remove the building’s fourth floor.

After the latest incident, Avella is renewing his fight against the Huangs. “Mr. Huang’s unsafe construction practices date back almost twenty years,” Avella said, “and his projects continue to receive numerous violations ... which often have resulted in destruction of adjoining properties and danger to public safety. Yesterday, a young father of three paid the ultimate price for his dangerous practices.”

Another Dead Pit Bull Found in Ozone Park

2011-01-13T16:09:00.001-05:00

By Jason Barczy

Concerns are rising among Ozone Park resident that a dog fighting ring is operating in the neighborhood. Three dead pit bulls have been found dumped in a garbage bag on the streets in the past six months.

Around 9 p.m. on Saturday, January 9 the third deceased dog was found near Acacia Cemetery by the intersection of 84th Street and 107th Avenue. The dog was wrapped in a trash bag and mostly frozen. Another was dumped at Pitkin Avenue and 84th Street a few weeks ago.

The woman who found the dog, who only wants to be identified as Tina R., said this was the third time since August a dead dog has been found within a five-block radius of that area of Ozone Park.

“This is what they do after a dog is done fighting or has lost a fight or was unwilling to fight,” said Tina R. “I was just driv- ing home and there [the dog] was and I was so sick after that.”

She said the most recent dog did not appear to be a victim of a fight. There was no evidence of bite or scratch marks, but she did notice the dog appeared to be unhealthy and under- weight.
Phyllis Taiano, founder of Four Paws Sake, Inc, went to the scene where the dog was found to help out and try to inden- tify the dog using a microchip scanner.

After an unsuccessful attempt to identify the animal, Taiano said she called 911 and 311 and was rebuffed by both agencies. After one final call to an emergency clinic, Taiano took the dog to the Sanitation Department.

“This situation was an awakening for me to see what exactly one is up against here in NYC,” Ta- iano said. “Had (the dog) been mutilated, mauled, had missing limbs, a crushed head or multiple bite wounds I would have driven him to the ASPCA [American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] for investigation reasons.”

Taiano estimates the dog was between 3 to 5-years-old and could see patches of hair missing which she says might be from mange or alopecia, two skin diseases common in household pets that cause hair loss.

“I don’t know how in the world someone can toss their pet on the side of the road in a garbage bag,” Taiano said. “The bag was not even tied. What if a child had seen the dog in a street? People are getting away with this because they can and the system is failing.”

Taiano is offering a $500 reward for any information on dogs being dumped in the street and can be contacted at phyltaiano@aol.com. Concerned residents can also contact the ASPCA's Humane Law Enforcement department at enforcement@aspca.org or (212) 876-7700, ext. 4450.

DA: Pimp Kidnapped, Raped Teen

2011-01-13T16:07:00.001-05:00

A South Ozone Park man was recently indicted on charges of imprisoning, prostituting and raping a 15-year-old runaway.

According to the indictment, Michael Summerville, 32, befriended the then 14-year-old girl in January 2010. The two allegedly lived together in Brooklyn where they engaged in sexual activities. Eventually, Summerville began pimping the girl out, prosecutors said.

The girl ran away in October 2010, but she returned to the Brooklyn home to retrieve a cell phone and computer Summerville had taken, prosecutors said. Summerville then allegedly took the girl back to his South Ozone Park home where he continued to have sex with his victim. The girl is alleged to have begun prostituting daily and was forced to give all her earnings to Summerville.

Prosecutors also charged that Summerville gave the girl to another pimp in late October. The new pimp also had sex with her and forced her to engage in prostitution throughout Queens, prosecutors said.

The victim escaped and went to the police, which prompted the investigation.

Using information provided by the victim, undercover officers went to Summerville’s home on December 1. The officers were allegedly met by four females who offered to have sex for money. The police said they paid one girl $360 in pre-recorded buy money and was brought to a back room where they observed Summerville. Prosecutors said the $360 buy money was recovered from Summerville’s pants pockets.

“The defendant’s alleged behavior is despicable and he must be prosecuted for his actions to the fullest extent of the law,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Summerville was charged with kidnapping, sex trafficking, promoting prostitution, rape, criminal sexual acts and menacing and endangering the welfare of a child. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years if convicted.

The state legislature strengthened penalties against human trafficking in June 2007. The law created the sex trafficking felony for those who profit from prostitution by engaging in sex trafficking. Convicted felons are required to register as sex offenders and provide social service assistance to the victims.

Council Blasts Mayor on Blizzard Response

2011-01-13T16:05:00.001-05:00

By Jason Barczy

Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration reversed course, admitting to and apologizing for a systematic failure of the city’s response to the blizzard two weeks ago.

The City Council held an oversight hearing on the city’s response on Monday, the first of seven, in which Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith called the city’s response unacceptable and said the city failed in declaring a snow emergency.

“We didn’t do the job you expected,” Goldsmith said. “We didn’t do the job that residents of New York City expected. There were a lot of mistakes made. We acknowledge those and we’re here to learn from those.”

Goldsmith, along with Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty, Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Commissioner Joseph Bruno, Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano gave testimony and answered questions from City Council members during the four-hour long hearing.

Goldsmith said neither he nor Bloomberg were consulted by the commissioners about calling a snow emergency that would have gotten cars off main roads and cleared snow routes for plows and emergency vehicles.

“There was a clear lack of communication between different city agencies and a clear lack of response to the state of emergency that we had on our hands,” said City Council member Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village). “Even though it was a holiday weekend and maybe the commissioners and deputy mayors may have been in a ‘holi-daze’, our city doesn’t sleep, it always moves and keeps moving.”

Several mistakes were admitted at the hearing: Half the city’s snowplows had no radios to call for help when they became stuck; the city never activated the Parks Department, which had workers and gear available to clear snow; no official reached out to owners of private tow trucks and other equipment to strengthen the city’s own fleet until after the storm was out of control; New Yorkers volunteering for temporary snow clearing jobs were discouraged because the city couldn’t pay them for six to 12 weeks; and officials waited too long to address scores of ambulances stuck in the snow.

City Council member Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) asked Goldsmith how it was possible he was able to keep his job when Emergency Management Services Chief John Perrugia was demoted—the only one to be demoted, in fact.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn drilled into Bruno for not opening OEM headquarters until 4 p.m. on Dec. 26, an hour before the storm was set to hit the city.

Bruno responded that opening the offices earlier wouldn’t have made a significant difference but said, “The city’s response to the blizzard did not live up to the standards we set for ourselves and the standards the public expects and deserve.”

Queens saw between 16 and 20 inches of snowfall between December 26 and 27 and most streets weren’t plowed until Thursday, December 30. South Brooklyn and Staten Island were hit hardest, with some areas reporting up to 27 inches of snowfall.

Sanitation Department records show that by 4 a.m. Monday, December 27, all of Manhattan’s primary streets and 92 percent of its secondary streets were plowed. The same records show in western Queens all primary streets were plowed by 4 a.m. Tuesday, December 28, but just 47 percent of secondary streets were plowed.

“Our cleanup response was unacceptable,” Doherty said. “We recognize we did not perform up to the standard that met the publics (standards), which caused many hardships. We know the reputation as the best snow fighters has been called into question and we must work to prove we deserve this distinction.”

Allegations of a sanitation slowdown protesting lay-offs and budget cuts were not addressed. Quinn and Sanitation Committee Chairwoman Letitia James (D-Brooklyn) did not permit the discussion because a criminal investigation is pending. However, that did not stop Crowley from bringing up the budget concerns.

“Did budgetary concerns impact the way the city responded to this storm?” she asked Goldsmith. Crowley said residents thought sanitation workers were left home because the city did not want to pay double time during the holiday weekend.

Goldsmith said budgetary concerns were not a factor in the city’s blizzard cleanup, and in prepared testimony presented a 15-point plan to the City Council for improving the city’s response that included changes to how the city declares a snow emergency.

The plan included having all sanitation trucks outfitted with GPS devices with buttons for instant communication and ambulances equipped with sled-gurneys so patients can be transported over snowy grounds.

A hearing in Queens is scheduled for 12 p.m. Friday, January 21 at Queens Borough Hall in Kew Gardens.

Red Light for New Parking Rates

2011-01-13T16:04:00.001-05:00

By David Harvey

Queens residents were spared increased parking fees after the Mayor and City Council reached an agreement dropping raised meter rates from the Mayor’s proposed mid-year budget.

Parking meter rates throughout the five boroughs and above 86th Street in Manhattan would have risen from 75 cents to $1 per hour. The Department of Transportation (DOT) was scheduled to begin retiming meters in Queens last week. While those rate increases were stalled by the agreement, rates in lower Manhattan will still change to $3, from $2.50 per hour.

According to DOT spokesman Montgomery Dean, some meters were retimed in Manhattan but are in the area where higher rates will remain. He said he was unsure if any meters were retimed in Queens.

Opposition to new meter rates increased in mid-December, when Council Members Diana Reyna (D-Bushwick) and James Vacca (D-Bronx) rallied against increased parking rates with business owners and residents on Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood. After the rally, Reyna and Vacca worked with Council colleagues and Speaker Christine Quinn, finally convincing the mayor to remove the rate hikes from the budget last week.

“The parking meter hike was a Band-Aid approach to the budget that would have emptied the pockets of consumers and merchants while the economy is still recovering,” Reyna said.

The rate increase, which the DOT estimated would add $2.4 million to city revenue, was cut from the budget as part of a package of revisions. While the city still faces a $585 million squeeze—including cuts to homeless services and library funding—nearly $35 million was restored, keeping fire stations open, some child services operating and the current parking rates intact.

“Outer-borough motorists can breathe a big sigh of relief,” Vacca said. “For once the budget will not be balanced on their backs.”

Victory may be short lived. The Mayor is expected to reintroduce the rate hikes in his preliminary fiscal year 2012 budget. Before the budget is released, Vacca and Reyna plan to introduce legislation that will prevent the city from raising meter rates more than 25 percent over any five-year period.

According to Council Member Eric A. Ulrich (R-Queens), who serves on the transportation board with Vacca, increased parking fees have the potential to hurt small businesses and residents.

“While small increases in taxes and fees don’t seem like a big deal to some people at City Hall, they add up quickly for residents,” Ulrich said. “These types of fiscal gimmicks are short-sighted and do little to address the city’s budget woes in the long run.”

Theodore Renz of the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District said the business community is concerned that raised rates, as well as more parking tickets, would drive customers away from the commercial district.

“It’s a good idea to have some bylaw that if something is going to be increased, they hear from the people it’s going to impact,” he said.

Vacca and Reyna are drafting the legislation, and plan to introduce it as early as February.

No Tolerance for Graffiti Vandals

2011-01-13T16:02:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Two prolific vandals, responsible for much of the graffiti around neighborhoods in the 104th Precinct, were arrested last week. Matthew Young, 23, and Thomas Rank, 19, both from Glendale, have defaced their neighborhoods for years, police said.

The 104th Precinct has prioritized catching vandals, and in 2010, ranked second in the city with 174 graffiti-related arrests and charges. Only the 122nd Precinct of Staten Island had more with 215 arrests and charges.

Officers aren’t slowing down in the new year; there have already been 74 charges brought for graffiti in the 104th Precinct, which includes Ridgewood, Glendale, Middle Village and Maspeth.

Lt. James Lombardi said the precinct officers have taken a strong initiative against the criminals that vandalized its neighborhoods. Of the 174 arrests in 2010, officers from the 104th made 162. The NYPD Anti-Graffiti Task force made the other arrests.

Lombardi explained how the precinct has taken charge of the graffiti problem. “We build cases, find the people responsible and charge them with every tag we’ve documented,” he said. This allows the police to send stronger cases to the District Attorney’s office, which leads to higher fines and possible prison time.

“We want to make sure they do some time,” Lombardi said.

Lombardi praised the work of officers Alison Potokin and Justin Dambinskas, who have worked diligently to find and arrest the vandals. They said the best way to help them do their job is to call 911 for graffiti acts in process and 311 to report graffiti sightings.

But catching the criminals is only one aspect of solving the graffiti problem. Cleaning up graffiti is also important. In the 104th Precinct, there were 800 police sponsored clean up events. The precinct works with local community groups to clean their neighborhoods. “Everyone joins together to help clean up,” Lombardi said.

This year the precinct is working with civic groups including Maspeth Town Hall and the Juniper Park Civic Association as well as local schools like I.S. 93 to clean the streets. The officers also urge residents and business owners to be proactive cleaning graffiti. Graffiti vandals won’t waste time retagging areas if they know it will be wiped clean, officers said.

Potokin said graffiti is not a harmless or victimless crime. Many of the vandals are associated with gang-like “crews” and fall into other criminal mischief. For example, Young had been previously arrested for public lewdness in Forest Park, and Rank was once arrested for domestic violence. The vandalism by Young and Rank have also cost the city thousands of dollars in damages including graffiti tagged on a police van by Young.

Officers will not slow down in 2011. Potokin said they will continue to build cases against vandals. The precinct is also working with the DA to push for harsher sentences against graffiti vandals. One way the community can keep vandals in prison is to write and call the DA and ask for strict punishments.

Matthew Young is currently being held on $10,000 bail, and Thomas Rank is being held on $9,000 bail.

Former Assemblyman Seminerio Dies in Prison

2011-01-13T16:00:00.001-05:00

Former Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio, 75, passed away Thursday morning at a federal prison hospital in North Carolina.

Seminerio, who was convicted of fraud in February 2010, was serving a six-year sentence on corruption charges. He operated an illegal consulting firm where he received $1 million from individuals and companies doing business with the state.

Seminerio’s attorneys had asked for a home confinement sentence, and in August, he asked to be released from jail while his appeal was heard. Both requests were denied.

The politician represented the state’s 38th Assembly District for 30 years. He resigned in 2009 and was replaced by Mike Miller following a special election.

Following Seminerio’s death, Miller (D-Woodhaven) said Seminerio represented his district with “passion and dedication.”

“We should remember all of the good things that he has done for the community. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife and children,” Miller said.

Mixed News on 2010 Crime Stats in 104th Precinct

2011-01-13T15:59:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

The crime rate increased in 104th Precinct in 2010, but police said they’ve made major strides in keeping neighborhoods safe.

The precinct’s Commanding Officer, Inspector Keith Green, and Community Affairs Officer Tommy Bell held the year’s first COP 104 meeting to update Middle Village residents on crime statistics and prevention. The meeting was held at St. Margaret’s Church on Monday in conjunction with the Middle Village Property Owners.

Green reported preliminary statistics show there were 1,749 major crimes in 2010 compared to 1,725 in 2009, a 1.4 percent increase. Felony assaults (a 23 percent increase) and grand larceny autos (a 20.9 percent increase) were the biggest culprits for the rise in crime, and a concentrated effort to curtail robberies and burglaries by the 104th Precinct led to decreases in the area, Green said.

Green said preventing car thefts is a priority for the precinct, and they’ve worked hard with detectives and Queens North have helped reduced numbers. Thieves have caught up to newer model key designs and found ways to clone keys. With these methods, thieves can walk up to a car and start it like they own it, which makes it difficult to catch, he said.

Green warned residents that many robberies occur when valuables are left inside a car. The simplest solution is to take everything of value out of the car. Green recommended GPS users not use suction cups to secure their devices because the suction cup can leave a visible mark on the window that alerts thieves a GPS may be in the vehicle.

Another priority for the 104th Precinct was graffiti—they ranked second in the city in graffiti related arrests—and Green was happy to report they are already ranked first in the city in 2011.

Strong Showing for St. Saviour's Project

2011-01-13T15:58:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Hope still remains for additional funding for a public park at St. Saviour’s in Maspeth.

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has agreed to fund at least one community project along the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The DEC selected the City Parks Foundation to hold public hearings and a vote to determine which projects the community favors.

Almost 700 people expressed their preferences in a vote on December 1 and 2. Among the 22 projects considered was a public park at St. Saviour’s on Rust Street and 58th Street.

Maspeth residents came out in force to vote for the park. Funding the park at the former church site came in fourth, behind improving the Dutch Kills Basin Acquisition in Brooklyn, wetlands rehabilitation that surround Newtown Creek and creating a Greenpoint Boathouse and Environmental Education Center.

The City Parks Foundation said the DEC has the final say as to which projects will get funding, and the department will not automatically pick the top vote getter. While the St. Saviour’s project was not number one, money could still be allocated to build a park.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Borough President Helen Marshall have been strong supporters of building a park at the site, and together have allocated $2 million for the project.

“The high turnout from Maspeth … proves how desperate this community is for more green space,” said Christina Wilkinson, president of the Newtown Historical Society. “I am confident that the DEC will take into consideration the fact that our section of Newtown Creek is inaccessible for a number of reasons and will allocate a portion of the settlement money toward the St. Saviour’s project. But no matter what they decide, we remain motivated and will continue to work toward creation of a park at the site until it finally happens.”

City Slow to Plug Leak

2011-01-13T15:56:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Water continues to leak onto the street with a garbage pail situated over it, and business owners are frustrated that the water main break has been left unfixed for over a week.

The water main broke on Grand Avenue near Remsen Place on Thursday when work was being performed on a main on Perry Avenue.

Lou Bekios whose store Grand Florists is next to the leak said he was informed on Wednesday that the water would be shut off for construction work. The independent contractors were unable to shut off the water, and in the process, broke the water valve, Bekios said.

“By Monday morning I figured the work would be done,” he said. “I have tons of gallons falling on my curb. It’s a major inconvenience.”

Bekios has been calling 311 since Friday, but he has yet to get a solid response.

According to a Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman, water mains around Grand Avenue are being repaired as part of a capital project. They are aware of the leaking valve, and it is scheduled to be fixed by the end of the week or early next week.

“This is a disaster,” said community activist Tony Nunziato. “Queens is forgotten again.”

This Week's Forum South and West

2011-01-06T12:05:00.001-05:00

A full version of The Forum South is now posted online at http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1qkvr/TheForumSouth162011/

Meltdown! City Slow to Pick Up Trash Weeks After Storm

2011-01-06T11:56:00.001-05:00

By Jason Barczy

Residents and politicians in Queens, and throughout the outer boroughs feel the city and Mayor Michael Bloomberg failed in its response to the Christmas Blizzard of 2010.

From a slow response time plowing city streets, delays on MTA buses and subways, and the evergrowing piles of trash in front of businesses and homes, the effects of the storm can still be seen nearly two weeks later.

“[Department of Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty] is telling us his men did a great job and would give them an A,” said Glendale resident Chris Maxham, whose street wasn’t cleared until the Thursday after the storm. “But most New Yorkers would probably give them an F.”

Councilman Dan Halloran (D-Whitestone) alleged in a New York Post report that Sanitation workers neglected streets in the outer boroughs to protest layoffs and staff reductions, and residents are now demanding answers.

District attorneys in Queens and Brooklyn and federal prosecutors are opening preliminary investigations into the allegations. Also, the City Council has called an oversight meeting on Monday, January 10, to question offi- cials, particularly Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith and members of the Bloomberg administration, about the city’s response.

“I hope the deputy mayor will be in town to answer some pretty tough questions about why the city wasn’t prepared,” said City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village). “This was his first real test and lives were lost and property was damaged.”

Response Time

The City Council announced it will hold a series of meetings, with next Monday’s meeting focusing on the response time. Critics questioned why certain measures weren’t taken prior to the storm and why a snow emergency was not declared by the mayor’s office.

“I think the city hesitated to do three important things,” Crowley said. “First, call a snow emergency. Second, get the sanitation workers into work and get the process started. Third, put the resources together to fight the storm. They should’ve started planning Christmas night.”

Questions linger as to who was in charge because Bloomberg refuses to say where he was over the Christmas weekend, while Goldsmith, who oversees sanitation and other emergency services, was in Washington D.C. Another deputy mayor, Howard Wolfson, was vacationing in London.

“You can focus on who was here, whether this was here,” Wolfson told NY1. “The bottom line is, we didn’t do the job... Had we done that, nobody would be asking questions about where the mayor was.”

In 2008, Bloomberg issued an executive order handing over power in his absence to his first deputy, which is currently Patricia Harris. Harris, and many others in City Hall, remains quiet about who was in charge as the storm approached.

“New Yorkers have serious questions about the City’s snow emergency policy and response,” City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said in a statement. “The collective storm response was not anywhere near up to the standards New Yorkers are accustomed to. This hearing acknowledges the reality that many New Yorkers are experiencing, that something went wrong.”

Monday’s meeting will be held at the Emigrants Savings Bank at 49-51 Chambers Street in Manhattan at 11 a.m. and will be the first of five held throughout the city.

“Nobody is going to get off easy,” said Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park). “There’s going to be a lot of tough questions asked and a lot of information revealed. It didn’t just go wrong one day but a lot of mistakes were made before and after that day.”

Sanitation woes

The New York Post first reported that Department of Sanitation (DOS) workers deliberately slowed down the snow removal and neglected to plow streets in the outer boroughs in an effort to protest a 6 percent staff reduction in the past two years along with demotions for 100 supervisors.

The allegations include:

Sanitation supervisors in Brooklyn bought beer during the storm instead of working.
Streets in the outer boroughs were neg- lected by plow trucks to protest downsizing and wage cuts in the department.
Between 660 and 720 sanitation workers called in sick because of the blizzard, more than double the normal rate.
Sanitation bosses issued directives to plow the streets of certain city officials.
Plow trucks passed over streets with the plows raised, only clearing off a top portion of the snow.

The Department of Investigation (DOI) has said it is looking into the allegations. Meanwhile Halloran says three plow drivers claim they were told to leave many roads unplowed and skip streets that were not on their routes.

“This is what happens when Bloomberg has his minions do for him and not everybody else,” said Middle Village resident who identified herself as Jennifer C. “This is New York and we’re supposed to have access to everything so why wasn’t it done? I don’t blame Sanitation, if the city would’ve done what it was supposed to it wouldn’t have been what it is.”

She said her street wasn’t cleared until the Thursday after the storm and her car’s transmission now needs to be fixed after attempting to drive it in the snow, which, according to her, will cost upwards of $1,000.

Residents are also upset knowing Manhattan was given preference in the plowing process while Queens and the outer boroughs suffered.

“Manhattan and probably the fancier areas of Queens were definitely plowed first,” said South Ozone Park resident Albert Pfisper. He added that his street, Linden Boulevard, wasn’t plowed until Thursday, December 30.

According to the New York Daily News, Sanitation Department records show that by 4 a.m. Monday, December 27, all of Manhat- tan's primary streets and 92 percent of its secondary streets had been plowed at least once. The same records show in western Queens, all primary streets were plowed by 4 a.m. Tuesday, December 28, but just 47 percent of secondary streets had been plowed.

“Throughout the district I represent snow removal was not done efficiently,” Crowley said. “The situation was not unique to any one neighborhood, it was everywhere outside of Manhattan.”

Ulrich said New Yorkers want someone to blame and shouldn’t be pointing the finger at sanitation workers.

“The city is looking for a bad guy,” Ulrich said. “I do not believe for a second that the city was effectively shutdown because angry supervisors were laid off. It did not happen across the board. It wasn’t a citywide slowdown that brought the city to a screeching halt. I am not prepared to let [the Bloomberg administration] off the hook for their decisions.”

Garbage piling up

Trash has not been collected in many areas throughout Queens for nearly two weeks since before the storm and can be seen piling up on city streets.

The DOS resumed garbage collection on Monday and Mayor Bloomberg said he expects all the trash to be picked up within three to four days; however, recyclables will not be collected until further notice.

“They should have started picking up garbage on Saturday (January 1),” Crowley said. “All the major streets were plowed by then. It’s uncomfortable and smelly and it’s becoming a public health concern.”

While trash is being cleared from streets such as Queens Boulevard, Woodhaven Boulevard and Crossbay Boulevard, there are still many where garbage is piling up such as Metropolitan Avenue, Myrtle Avenue and Liberty Avenue.

Mountains of trash and recyclables are rising above cars at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard near the A Train stop.

“It’s in the way and I’m running out of space in my garbage can,” Pfisper said. “They’re not picking up Tuesday and there’s two weeks of recyclables we have, which will probably not be picked up until next Tuesday.

Mayor Bloomberg did back off of statements he made that the storm wasn’t the end of the world and acknowledges the city should have been better prepared.

“We did not do as good a job as we wanted to or as the city had the right to expect,”
Bloomberg said from a hardware store in Hunts Point, Bronx on December 29. “And there is no question we are an administration built on accountability. When something works, we take credit for it. When it doesn’t, we stand up and say, ‘Okay, we did it, and we will try to find out what went wrong and then make that information public.’ I cannot tell you for sure why it was a lot worse this time than the other times.”

Feds Begin Probe of Disastrous CityTime Project

2011-01-06T11:53:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

CityTime was already in hot water as the $63 million project ballooned to more than $700 million, and that was before federal prosecutors charged four men working on the project with stealing $80 million from the city.

The Office of Payroll Administration (OPA) began CityTime in 1998 to develop an automated timekeeping system. City officials said the new system would ensure employees would get paid more accurately, efficiently and securely.

As early as 2004, the expected completion year, there were concerns about the rising cost of the program. In 2008, Councilman, Joe Addabbo, now a state Senator, held hearings on the project. Also, Daily News’ reporter Juan Gonzalez revealed that a whistleblower sent a letter describing possible fraud to the city Department of Investigation (DOI), but the whistleblower claimed the letter was ignored.

In 2010, investigators from the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office and DOI found evidence of foul play. Working from a position of authority, prosecutors said Mark Mazer, hired as a consultant to conduct quality assurance on the CityTime project in 2001, approved contracts for consulting firms run by Dmitry Aronshtein, who prosecutors believe is related to Mazer, and Victor Natanzon.

The two firms were paid over $75 million, and prosecutors say at least $24.5 million was kicked back to shell companies linked to Mazer.

He also allegedly developed a scheme to hide his illicit dealings, including routing funds to shell companies and corporations controlled by family members, submitting false vendex forms to the city and telling others in the project that he discovered the firms run by Aronshtein and Natanzon through casual conversations.

Prosecutors also said the three men and a fourth conspirator, Scott Berger, generated and approved fraudulent timesheets for consultants at the suspect firms. The falsified timesheets are estimated to have cost the city over $200,000.

The four men were charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Mazer, Aronshtein and Natanzon were also charged with conspiring to launder the proceeds of the fraud conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds. Mazer’s wife, Svetlana Mazer, and his mother, Larisa Medzon, also face the second charge.

“Mark Mazer and his cohorts allegedly used the city as their own personal cash cow,” said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. “In an ironic twist, funding for CityTime, a project intended to prevent payroll waste, fraud and abuse, was itself al- legedly bilked in part by fraudulent timekeeping.”

Since the allegations surfaced on December 15, the fallout has been swift. Joel Bondy, OPA’s Executive Director, resigned on December 23 after Mayor Michael Bloomberg suspended him without pay.

Federal prosecutors also subpoenaed the records of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), the lead contractor on the project, which subcontracted the fraudulent consulting firms. Federal prosecutors have not charged SAIC with wrongdoing but want to investigate if large sums of money could be stolen without notice, according to the New York Daily News.

Bloomberg, who supported the CityTime project as expenses continued to rise, finally admitted the program was a “disaster” in March. In response to the criminal allegations, he said, “Any vi- olation of the public’s trust is categorically unacceptable and we are implementing a series of changes to reform oversight of the CityTime project.”

Reforms include appointing Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith and Comptroller John Liu to direct oversight of the project. The Mayor also promised he would work with federal investigators to conduct a thorough audit to recoup the taxpayer dollars that were stolen.

Still, CityTime comes as a blow for Bloomberg, who for years campaigned as a strong fiscal and business leader. On his weekly radio show he said that the $80 million simply “slipped through the cracks.”

Politicians were not pleased that Bloomberg was asleep at the wheel.

“I wonder what we could have done with the millions of dollars wasted if the Mayor’s administration had only realized it back in 2005, when we first raised the issue about CityTime, and possibly could have prevented hurting employees, making education cuts and closing firehouses,” said Addabbo.

Judge Upholds Black Appointment

2011-01-06T11:49:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

Cathie Black is officially the city’s newest Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor. State Supreme Court Justice Gerald Connolly ruled on December 29 that the state and city acted fairly in appointing Black.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg selected Black on November 9 after former Chancellor Joel Klein announced he would step down at the end of the year. Bloomberg praised Black’s extensive leadership as the former executive of Hearst.

State DOE Commissioner David Steiner agreed and on November 29 certified Black as a “school district leader,” a mandatory certificate needed to become Chancellor.

Parents and educators, however, questioned Black’s qualifications and had sued the state to stop her appointment.

Eric Snyder, a parent from Park Slope, and others sued the state on behalf of their children. Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) joined the parents in the lawsuit. The parents argued that Black did not possess the necessary educational and teaching experience required by the state.

According to state law, school district leaders must have a master’s degree and have completed sixty semester hours of graduate study. The Education Commissioner can waive graduate study for “exceptionally qualified persons,” but the parents argued that the master’s degree requirement could not be waived. They said a person who had a master’s degree but not 60 hours could receive a waiver, but the degree was necessary.

The parents also criticized the new Senior Deputy Chancellor and Chief Academic Advisor position created for Cathie Black. A new position dealing with education should not be needed for a qualified Chancellor candidate, the parents said.

Connolly said while the waiver rules might be ambiguous Steiner was acting legally and within his duties when he interpreted the rules and issued the waiver.

Connolly’s decision ends the two-month battle over Black’s appointment. Bloomberg released a statement praising the decision: “This decision should bring an end to the poiticking and grandstanding and allow us all to focus on what matters most: continuing to improve the quality of education we offer New York City’s public school children.”

Black began her tenure on Monday touring schools throughout the boroughs. There, she told reporters she had found her “dream job” and was excited to get started.

She will continue her citywide tour of schools by visiting John Adams High School on January 10 where she will meet with parents, teachers and Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park).

Ulrich has said the new chancellor will have to make tough decisions.

“She faces the enormous challenge of pro- viding quality education to our students while dealing with a very tight budget in the coming fiscal year,” said Ulrich. “I look forward to hearing her ideas on how to improve public schools for all students.”

Gov. Cuomo Begins Term

2011-01-06T11:46:00.001-05:00

Governor Andrew Cuomo has wasted no time since assuming office on New Years Day. The new Governor, who beat Republican candidate Carl Paladino in November’s general election already signed several executive orders, announced appointments and nominations, and on Wednesday, delivered his “State of the State” address at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany.

“New York faces a deficit, a deficit that we talk about all day long: the budget deficit, the budget deficit,” Cuomo said in his innaugural address on Januray 1. “But it’s actually worse. The state faces a budget deficit and a competence deficit and an integrity deficit and a trust deficit. And those are the obstacles we really face.”

Cuomo said he would bring the needed in Albany to balance both the budget and restore the people’s faith. He started the process by cutting his own salary.

The Governor’s salary is $179,000 by law, and it has not changed since 1999. However, Cuomo announced on Monday that he would reduce his salary by 5 percent and return the $8,950 to the state. Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy and senior members of Cuomo’s staff have also agreed to a 5 percent reduction.

“Change starts at the top and we will lead by example,” Cuomo said. “Families and business owners in every corner of the state have learned to do more with less in order to live within their means and government must do the same.” Cuomo signed two executive orders, one
removing barriers around the State Capitol and reopening the Hall of Governors to the public. The hall, where many of the executive chamber offices are located, has been closed to the public since 1995.

The second executive order requires ethics training for Executive Chamber staff and top
state officials. The order includes agency commissioners and their staffs.

At the “State of the State” address on Wednesday, Cuomo promised more sweeping changes.

“We must transform the State of New York from a government of dysfunction, gridlock and corruption to a government of performance, integrity, and pride,” Cuomo said. “This is not about budget trimming or cutting, it’s about looking at how we can fix government and make it work for the people. Together, we must take the significant steps needed to reinvent, reorganize and redesign government to restore credibility and to rebuild our economy by creating jobs all across this state.”

Cuomo outlined his plans to close the $10 billion deficit by instituting a salary freeze and a state spending cap. He also proposed revisions to the recently enacted Excelsior Tax Credit Program to produce better results and give New Yorkers property tax relief.

Addabbo Eyes Ballot Reform

2011-01-06T11:44:00.001-05:00

Many voters are not pleased with the new ballot machines unveiled during the 2010 primary and general elections. Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) is introducing new legislation this year after fielding complaints about incompetent workforces and small ballot print.

Addabbo, Chair of the Senate’s Elections Committee, is sponsoring a new bill, S.609, during the legislative session in Albany this month, that amends election law by requiring that paper ballots use a simple and easy-to-read bold, enlarged typeface and by requiring that the State and New York City boards of elections (and those in the largest counties) have a full-time employee on staff trained in ballot design and usability. The newly introduced bill will take effect 60 days after it becomes a law.

Under the new bill, paper ballots will have easy-to-read type, such as Arial or Univers, and candidates' names, office titles and political designations. The reading form of all ballot questions submitted will be printed in capital letters followed by lower case letters of at least 12-point bold (black-faced) type.

“This was the most common complaint I heard on the campaign trail from my people, and I promised them that I would see it was fixed,” said Addabbo. “Current election law does not contain any requirements as to ballot readability or usability.”

Also, a new subdivision to the election law requires that the New York State and New York City boards of elections, as well as those in Erie, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, have one full-time staffer who is trained in effective ballot design and ballot usability.

Additionally, such an employee on the State board of elections must be available to re- view and advise the other counties on the proposed design and usability of their ballots for primary, gen- eral and special elections.

According to Addabo, these changes would help New York’s election ballots conform to the recommendations in the 2007 report by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and the 2008 “Better Ballot” report by the Brennan Center.

“Expertise in ballot design and usability is lacking within our boards of elections,” said Addabbo. “However, no additional hiring should be necessary to meet the requirements for one full-time employee in the State board of elections and one in the election boards of each of our largest counties to develop the necessary ballot design and usability. Self-study of the extensive amount of literature in this field, along with some training courses, can significantly develop such expertise.”

Addabbo said he hopes that this and other similar bills can be voted on and approved early in the 2011 legislative session.

Super-Bad Supermarkets

2011-01-06T11:42:00.001-05:00

By David J. Harvey

New York’s supermarkets seem to have gotten worse for customers over the last four months, racking up hundreds of violations during Department of Consumer Affairs inspections.

According to Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Jonathan Mintz, the frequency of violations at the city’s supermarkets has increased since the last investigative report was compiled in August 2010; markets dropped from a compliance rate of 48 percent to a meager 33 percent.

“Supermarkets are clearly not getting the message that New Yorkers demand that they get it right at the check out counter,” Mintz said.

After a yearlong series of investigations concluded in August, the DCA announced that supermarkets were failing consumers by overcharging, shelving goods without prices and taxing non-taxable items. In response, the city levied fines totaling $381,750 citywide, ranging from $50 to $150 per violation.

Additionally, the DCA announced in August that it would double the number of inspections, from a total of 983 in the previous fiscal year. In the past four months, the DCA has conducted 491 inspections, and has issued nearly 750 citations. The city expects these violations to accumulate $310,000 in fines.

Out of the 122 inspections in Queens since August, 79 led to violations. The compliancy rate in the borough dropped from 55 to 35 percent.

Just over one quarter of all the inspections citywide were conducted in Queens, and though the borough saw a significant increase in cited violations, it was behind only the Bronx in compliance. In Brooklyn, 30 percent of supermarkets were compliant with city regulations, and in both Staten Island and Manhattan, the rate was below 25 percent.

Mintz said the increase in violations wasn’t likely a result of improved DCA method, but evidence of dismal customer service prevalent throughout the city’s markets.

DCA inspectors don’t comb through a store item by item, but aim to replicate the “typical shopping experience,” Mintz said. “Supermarkets make choices about the emphasis and resources they provide for quality control.”

All boroughs dropped in compliance from the last round of inspections except the Bronx, which had the five neighborhoods with the most violations in the last fiscal year. Nevertheless, a DCA spokesperson said no comparison has been done yet to determine whether fines or other factors were responsible for reforming Bronx stores.

Mintz said he is hopeful supermarkets can be brought up to code, noting that New York has some of the strongest consumer protection laws.

“We are going to keep turning up the heat,” Mintz said. “We hope a combination of public awareness and a higher cost of doing business will bring supermarkets into compliance.”

Resident Asks for Better Enforcement at Park

2011-01-06T11:39:00.001-05:00

By Eric Yun

A Ridgewood resident is urging his community to stop the rampant abuse at Grover Cleveland Park. During the summer, the park creates traffic nightmares, and park goers trash the park and drink alcohol illegally.

John Perricone started Ridgewood Residents for Grover Cleveland Park in early August. He lives around the block from the park, and he’s tired of the antics of unruly athletic leagues and other park users.

“The park gets overcrowded, there’s noise from parties, and illegal food vendors are there,” said Perricone. “Everyone should have the right to the park.”

In the height of the summer season, athletic leagues use the fields for games. Leagues must be registered with the Parks Department, and Perricone does not believe many of the groups have registered. He also suggested Parks should give preferences to leagues local to the neighborhood.

“If I want to play ball, I’m not going to travel all the way to Juniper Valley Park,” Perricone said. “Local groups should be given preference with park permits.”

Problems with athletic leagues have led to traffic nightmares. Cars are constantly double parked on Stanhope Street and block fire hydrants and driveways. Perricone says his
neighbors have been threatened when they politely asked people to move their cars.

Perricone said problems with parking could be alleviated if police removed illegal food vendors. Vendors are not allowed to operate within 75 feet of a public park. The 104th Precinct has said that police officers have issued summons to illegal vendors but many are properly licensed to sell at the park.

Perricone wishes there was a better relationship between the Parks Department, the 104th Precinct and the community. “When you contact Parks they say they are trying to get more patrol, and when you contact the police they say you have to contact Parks,” he said.

While the park is quiet during the winter months, Perricone hopes to gather enough community support to stop the illegal activity by the summer. Working closely with Citizens for a Better Ridgewood, he has started a Facebook page and contacted elected officials.

By the spring, when the permit process begins, Perricone hopes to meet with the Parks Department to discuss ways to ease the strain the community feels. The best way to accomplish the goals is to have a huge amount of community support and stories, he said.

To join Ridgewood Residents for Grover Cleveland Park, visit its website at queensprogressnow.blogspot.com

Cops Fatally Shoot Glendale Man Eight Times

2011-01-06T11:36:00.001-05:00

Police officers responding to domestic dispute call in Glendale fatally shot Zachary Bingert after he struck at them with a knife in his mother’s home.

Police said Bingert, 21, attacked the officers when they entered the house, shortly after his mother had called 911 to report her son was threatening her by knifepoint and was possibly suicidal on December 22.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the three officers involved, all from the 104th Precinct fired eight shots and that Bingert had nine entry and exit wounds.

Kelly explained that Bingert’s mother already had a protective order that restricted the contact her son was allowed with her but let him sleep on the couch because he was living in a car, in the cold.

Paramedics declared Bingert dead when they arrived. Police released photos of the small hunting knife used by Bingert and found two more knives in the home.

Bingert had previously been arrested, on Nov. 11 for assault and on Sept. 20 for menacing. He was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon on Dec. 16.

The NYPD is not releasing information on whether the officers will go before a grand jury or be subjected to other penalties, as an investigation into the use of deadly force is still pending, Kelly told the New York Times.

Aviation HS Teacher Charged

2011-01-06T11:34:00.001-05:00

A 58-year-old teacher was charged with sexually abusing a 16-year-old female student at Aviation Career & Technical Education High School in Long Island City Monday, January 3.

George Zola, of Valley Stream, Long Island, has taught at the school for 22 years as a shop teacher but now is awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on charges of first-degree attempted sexual abuse, third-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted, Zola, who is presently assigned to administrative duties at the school, faces up to four years in prison.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Zola sexually abused one of his female students on multiple occasions and on at least one occasion, Zola allegedly told the student, “This is how it’s gonna be.”

The incidents allegedly occurred inside the school between December 1, 2008 and January 22, 1009 and only came to light when the student informed a school guidance counselor in June 2010.

“The charges are disturbing on so many levels,” Brown said. “As a teacher and an adult, the defendant was in a position of power and had no business engaging in inappropriate contact with one of his students. Such conduct cannot go unpunished.”

Cocaine Busts at JFK Airport

2011-01-06T11:32:00.001-05:00

Three men have been arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport since the Christmas holiday, in two separate cases, for attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country.

Roger Levans, of Queens, got off a Delta Airlines flight from Georgetown, Guyana, on December 29, and told customs that he was carrying ‘cooked rabbit,’ according to a criminal complaint filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.

Levans was indeed carrying some food items in the three suitcases he had, but no rabbit. Instead inspectors found three brick-shaped packages filled with three kilos of cocaine.

He was released on a $100,000 bail and told authorities that he works for Guardsmark Security at Yankee Stadium.

In the second case, two men flying into JFK on Christmas Day from San Juan, Puerto Rico have been ordered held on $100,000 bail each on Sunday, Dec. 26 on charges of smuggling 92 pounds of cocaine into the country.

Enmanuel Rojas Peralta, 24, and Israel Rodriguez Jacobo, 25, both of Puerto Rico face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on charges of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

“The defendants are alleged to have brazenly tried to smuggle 92 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $3 million into Queens via JFK airport,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. “Drugs such as these are a scourge on soci- ety and endanger our citizens — particularly our young people.”

Peralta and Jacobo were arraigned on December 26 in Queens Criminal Court before Acting Justice Joel Blumenfeld and were or- dered to return to court on January 19.

A Drug Enforcement Administration agent inside the Delta Airlines terminal at JFK spotted the defendants at approximately 6:45 p.m. following their arrival from San Juan.

The agent observed they were each in possession of two baggage claim checks for four pieces of luggage, each containing 42 packages of cocaine which was recovered through a search of the luggage by a Port Authority Police Department detective.

“Our law enforcement partners put a stop to the defendants’ reckless plan and they now face up to 20 years in prison if convicted,” Brown said.

This Week's Forum South and West

2010-12-30T11:47:00.001-05:00